Rotherham United boss Steve Evans' plan for the Vertu Trophy clash with Chesterfield

The Millers boss has named the same starting 11 for the Millers' last three League One games and has been rewarded with two victories and a draw.

However, he plans to take some players out of the firing line against Chesterfield and save them for the third-tier clash with Charlton Athletic at the weekend.

“We'll go to the SMH Group Stadium and try to progress, but we'll make changes,” he said.

Cameron Dawson, Cohen Bramall, Jack Holmes, Liam Kelly, Andre Green, Jonson Clarke-Harris were on the bench for last Saturday's 3-1 triumph over Bolton Wanderers and will be hoping to be in the line-up for the Northern last-16 tie against the League Two Spireites.

Youngsters Ben Hatton and Harrison Duncan may also be in the Scot's thinking.

Rotherham won this tournament at Wembley the last time they entered it, in the 2021/22 campaign, and they haven't suffered a defeat in it since a 3-0 loss at Lincoln City in November 2019 - an unbeaten run stretching to 12 matches.

Left-back Reece James, who reached the final of the competition with Sunderland in 2019, started and scored against Bolton and is hoping he is one of the men whom Evans leaves in the side.

“It's a really good cup,” he said. “Every young boy growing up wants to play at Wembley. It's one of the biggest stages.

“When I was last there, it was sold out with two big clubs fighting for the trophy in Sunderland and Portsmouth. It was an unbelievable day out, but unfortunately we weren't able to win.”

“The gaffer here has made it clear that he wants to win this competition. We've got to try to push towards that.”

Chesterfield were promoted from the National League last season and are in 10th spot in the League Two.

The last time the two clubs met was in this tournament in September 2017 when the Spireites were 2-1 victors in the group stage at New York thanks to a late goal.

The most recent league combat between them came in the fourth tier in the 2012/13 season when the Millers drew 1-1 away in August, with Kayode Odejayi cancelling out Jordan Bowery's opener for the side, and won 1-0 at home in February through a Johnny Mullins goal.

Paul Cook's side have lost their last three games and haven't played since New Year's Day.