Rotherham United team news: Fitness situation improving but Matt Hamshaw in no mood for risks

Striker Josh Kayode is back in training after a calf injury, but there are still questions marks about whether midfielder Liam Kelly and centre-forward Jonson Clarke-Harris will be sufficiently recovered from illness to face the Hatters.

"There's a big chance," said Hamshaw of Kayode, who has not played since Steve Evans' penultimate game in charge, the 3-2 home defeat to Wycombe Wanderers in mid-March. "We'll not take any unnecessary risks with any of them but fingers crossed he should come through. There's another training day on Friday and if he comes through that, he should be on the bench."

With promotion and relegation from League One both out of reach, interim manager Hamshaw has no need to take any risks – especially from the strong position of having won his first three matches.

As with Bolton Wanderers in midweek, the pressure will all be on the Lancastrians. Fourth-placed Stockport look to be heading to the play-offs but still need another seven points to realistically confirm it.

"If we were fourth, fifth and in the play-offs, would I be taking risks? I probably would be," admitted Hamshaw. "But we're at the stage where we don't have to take risks and it's important the players under contract are fit and ready to go for pre-season.

"The other night we brought on Hamish (Douglas) and had other young players on the bench. They're more than adequate to come on and do a job for us. We put full trust in them. Whoever is in that 18-man squad will be well up for it."

Shaun McWilliams has been out with a quad injury, Zak Jules a hamstring problem and Manchester United loanee Dan Gore a fractured metatarsal.

All are getting closer, but none will feature at Edgeley Park.

"(McWillliams) and Zak Jules are back out doing straight line stuff," he said. "it's going to be touch and go but they're trying their hardest to be back.

"We're in regular contact with Man United (over Gore) so we're hopeful (of seeing him again this season).

"He's doing regular rehab over there. It sounds like it's going relatively well.

"It'll be nice to have him back and if I can use him for some minutes, fantastic, but if we can't, again, that is what it is."