Burton Albion V Rotherham at Pirelli Stadium : Match Preview

08 February 2013 14:01
Burton Albion V Rotherham - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Burton backline in bits

Burton have problems in the centre of defence as they prepare to host promotion rivals Rotherham.

Captain Zander Diamond begins a four-match suspension after the club decided not to appeal against his red card at AFC Wimbledon last weekend.

Ian Sharps, on loan from Rotherham, is ineligible against his parent club and Nathan Stanton is battling to overcome a knee injury.

Manager Gary Rowett has not ruled out making an emergency loan signing but will hope that left-back Damien McCrory can return from an ankle problem. That would allow Aaron Webster to move across to centre-half - if Webster recovers from a calf injury he sustained in training on Tuesday.

Billy Kee also suffered an ankle problem in training this week and is a doubt.

Fellow striker Calvin Zola missed the draw against the Dons and will be assessed while on-loan forward Alex MacDonald was forced off at Kingsmeadow with a dead leg and looks set to miss out.

Claude Davis and Lee Frecklington will return to the Rotherham squad.

Veteran defender Davis has served a one-match ban following his calamitous Millers debut where he received a red card and gave away a penalty in a 3-1 defeat to Bristol Rovers.

Midfielder Frecklington also missed last week's 3-1 win over Northampton with an ankle injury, but he is fit again and will return to Steve Evans' squad.

David Noble (ankle) and Michael O'Connor (groin) both picked up knocks during that success over the Cobblers but have trained all week and should be okay.

That leaves Craig Morgan (foot) and Scott Shearer (elbow) as the only occupants of the treatment room, but they are close to fitness.

The Millers will go above Burton in the table with a win, which would be their sixth successive npower League Two away victory.

Source: PA