An update on Rotherham United's Emmanuel Adegboyega after head clash

Rotherham United defender Emmanuel Adegboyega has escaped concussion and is available for selection as the Millers seek to extend their unbeaten League Two run at leaders Bristol Rovers this weekend.

The centre-half was involved in an aerial clash with Chesterfield striker Lee Bonis last Saturday that left him with a huge bump on his forehead.

Happily, tests have shown there he wasn't concussed and he could return to the matchday 18 for the trip to the Memorial Ground.

The 22-year-old was left out of the squad for Tuesday's 2-2 draw at Tranmere Rovers merely as a precaution, with club captain Joe Rafferty coming into a three-man backline in his place.

"Manny took a nasty bang on the head," said boss Alex Bruce. after Tom Bradshaw's stoppage-time penalty had eared a point at Prenton Park. "I was just wary of that a little bit. I'll always pick teams to suit certain games. I felt Raff, with his experience, would suit us."

Rotherham, cheered on by a 500-plus away following, were much improved after the interval against Tranmere and made it three matches without defeat since an opening-day loss at Cheltenham Town.

"When you come away from home and you've got travelling support, they expect certain things," Bruce said. "We didn't give them those in the first half, but it was better in the second half.

"At certain moments in the game, you can play poorly, but that doesn't mean you can't run hard and tackle and do the ugly side of things.

"Thankfully, we started doing that in the second half. There's no rocket science. You get your rewards when you do it."

The Millers fell behind to Zane Okoro's strike in the first half, then equalised in the 83rd minute when Aaron Nemane tucked away fellow replacement Ar'Jany Martha's low cross. Tranmere regained the lead through a deflected Tom Ince effort four minutes later, before Bradshaw's stoppage-time spot-kick.

"I was really pleased with the impact that the substitutes had," Bruce said. "I'm delighted for Aaron. I thought he did well when he came on."

The visitors brought on four men from the bench and the head coach added: "There were couple of knocks, a couple of players who looked leggy."

Joe Rafferty, Kian Spence, Fabio Tavares and Paul Mullin were the quartet who departed.

Bradshaw was fouled inside the box as he latched on to a pass from teenage debutant Jayce Fitzgerald and picked himself up to score from the spot to make amends for his penalty that was saved against the Spireites three days earlier.

"It's a great ball from Jayce and really good movement from Tom to pull off the centre-half's shoulder," Bruce said. "I was disappointed with the second goal that we conceded, especially so soon after we equalised. I was hoping that we were going to go on to win the game.

"One thing that pleased me again was the reaction of the players. It was never-say-die. That's what I want to try to create. It's not over until it's over."

Meanwhile, 34-year-old Bradshaw was happy to shoulder the responsibility of making sure his side didn't head home empty-handed.

"I've taken 11 penalties in my career," he said. "I've scored nine and I've missed two, and I slipped on both of those. If I don't slip, I'm confident that I'm going to score. I was more focused on planting my foot than I was actually putting them all in the net. Luckily, it went in.

"I think it was a good thing it was at the away end. I'd rather be taking a 'pen' in that scenario than being in front of the opposition fans. Everyone who was behind the goal wanted the same thing as me.

"I'm experienced enough to know that one penalty doesn't define who you are as a penalty-taker. I just stepped up to it, had a quick think about all the penalties I've scored in my career and thought: 'Just slot it in like every other time.'"