Main man Rowe will be a big miss

LEADING LIGHT . . . Doncaster Rovers' Tommy Rowe started his career at Stockport

TOMMY Rowe has been one of the prime architects in Doncaster's revival this season, but the good news for Athletic is that he won't be involved in the FA Cup first-round tie on Saturday.

The 27-year-old from Wythenshawe has been one of the classiest acts in Sky Bet League Two this season.

The former Peterborough and Wolves man has scored six and assisted as many as Rovers, relegated last season, have started the campaign in a blaze of goals that has taken them to third spot in the standings.

LOAN

Rowe enjoyed his last trip to SportsDirect.com Park, netting while on loan at Scunthorpe in the Iron's 4-2 win last term.

But while there is a positive for Rovers boss Darren Ferguson in terms of the midfielder's long-term prognosis after he suffered an ankle injury in the 2-2 draw with Wycombe last week, he will have to do without him at Athletic.

"The best news of the week is he'll be fine for Exeter," Ferguson, referring to Rovers' trip south a week on Saturday, told the Doncaster Star.

"It was just a bad impact and really bad swelling. I think it's because he's got a screw in his foot where he's done it before. It was right on there.

"If it'd been a break, it would have been the whole season I think."

Elsewhere in the side, Ferguson has a dilemma concerning goalkeeper Ross Etheridge.

He was at fault for a Wycombe goal after failing to collect a cross and with regular number one Marko Marosi fit again after a knee injury, there is a decision to be made.

"His (Etheridge's) reaction on Monday says to me that he is prepared to fight and dig in and try to work as hard as he can," said Ferguson.

"That's good enough for me.

"Everyone makes mistakes and it's my job as manager to help them through that.

"Of course, he's got to help himself."

Rovers have won half of their games this season, having only won twice in their final 22 outings last season.

That's a sequence including a run of seven straight defeats, as the club's league position plummeted from 11th in early January to 21st by the final day of the campaign.