Stags made nine changes for last week’s Carabao Cup penalties defeat at Bolton Wanderers but stuck with senior first team squad players and boss Nigel Clough said: “First and foremost we want to win but also build up some players minutes-wise.
“Scott Flinders will play in goal as he did in this competition last seasonAaron Lewis and Hiram Boateng will play, who are both very close to being starters anyway. All the subs will play.
“It will keep everybody up to speed with games which they need at this time of year.We might need them in the next few weeks.
“The one thing we don’t want is to pick up any more injuries. But that is a chance you take if you play first team players.
Rotherham United have perhaps not got off to the start they would have hoped for in their return to League One football. Three of their stars are currently sidelined and could miss next Saturday’s trip to Wycombe Wanderers.
Rafferty and Hungbo both picked up injuries in their opening day fixture against Exeter City, with the former suffering from a groin problem and the latter a knock to the ankle. Whereas Raggett twisted his knee in the EFL Cup victory over League Two side Crewe Alexandra.
Speaking about the loss of the three manager Steve Evans (via the Rotherham Advertiser) added:Joe Rafferty and Sean Raggett are two League One winners,”
“They’re big players to go without. Joe Hungbo is a big player for us too, he is so talented.”
There is a possibility that the trio could be back in time for next week’s trip to Wycombe Wanderers, however it remains to be seen if they will reach the 100% fitness Evans demands:
Evans has the task of turning around a side that went out of the second tier with little fight last year. The former Stevenage boss is superb at getting a side hard to beat and fighting for every last point, something we haven’t seen in the first two games of the season.
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