Two more Rotherham United players facing lengthy spells on sidelines

Centre-half Sean Raggett and midfielder Alex MacDonald have had second dates with consultants and it is expected to be the end of next month before either are ready for action again.

The former has had knee problems throughout the League One campaign and has been hit by another one while the latter has undergone surgery on a hip issue.

“We think Sean is out for five/six weeks,” said manager Steve Evans. "He had bone bruising in one knee earlier in the season. Now he's got it in his other one.

“Alex has had a minor operation on the cartilage in his hip. The injury came from a bang he took in the game against Cambridge United. Again, we're looking, hopefully, at five or six weeks.”

Raggett had an enviable fitness record during a four-year spell with Portsmouth, averaging around 50 appearances a season, but has played only 11 times following his summer switch to AESSEAL New York Stadium.

“He's had such bad luck since he joined us,” Evans said. “The kid had hardly missed a game in four years before that.

“We've had that type of luck with injuries this season, haven't we? We've been missing a lot of big players at various times.”

Meanwhile, key men Cameron Humphreys and Hakeem Odoffin are set to prove their fitness for this weekend’s derby clash with Barnsley at New York (kick-off 12.30pm).

Both reported ill at the beginning of the week and spent time away from the club's Roundwood base but their flu-like symptoms have now eased.

Speaking to the Advertiser yesterday, Evans said: “We're expecting Cam and Haks back in full training tomorrow with no issues.

“We have a big game on Saturday and they should be ready for that.”