Rotherham can take a
small crumb of comfort ahead of the daunting trip to Derby on Saturday by news
that midfielder Tom Ince will miss the game.
The £4million man, who scored against the Millers in the 3-3 draw at New York
Stadium last February, has not trained all week after picking up an ankle
injury at Huddersfield at the weekend.
Although the problem is not too serious it is bad enough to keep him out
against the Millers.
"We are monitoring Tom but he will not be available for the game at the
weekend," head coach Paul Clement said in his pre-match press conference.
"The injury is
not too serious but we will know more over the next few days."
The Millers have
better injury news of their own, with Joe Mattock, Danny Ward and Joe Newell
all fit and set to return to the squad, meaning just Lee Frecklington is
occupying the treatment room.
The club captain is
set to return soon and boss Neil Redfearn is keen to have him back.
"Lee is not too
far away, he is desperate to come back and play, I love his attitude," he
said. "He has obviously been missed because he is a player that has played
a lot of first-team football in recent times and he will give us a real boost
when he comes back.
"Danny Ward
is back fit, Joe Newell is back, Joe Mattock is back. You are going to miss
these players."
One player who is
unavailable is on-loan centre-back Farrend Rawson, who is ineligble against his
parent club.
"It
was in the contract that he doesn’t play against Derby, so it gives somebody
else an opportunity and if we keep a clean sheet then they get the chance to
play."