What next for Rotherham United's Ollie Rathbone and Lee Peltier as they succumb to injury? And there's major concern over Bailey Wright too
STRUGGLING Rotherham United duo Ollie Rathbone and Lee Peltier have dates with specialist after finally being forced out of the Millers side this weekend.
The pair have been key performers in the last few matches despite their training being restricted by groin and hamstring problems respectively.
Both were in too much discomfort to feature in yesterday's Championship clash with Queens Park Rangers at AESSEAL New York Stadium and Hakeem Odoffin and Wes Odoffin came into the team.
"Scans have not shown anything that is major, major, but there is an issue there," manager Matt Taylor said. "They will see a specialist at the start of the week."
In their absence, the Millers took a significant stride towards second-tier safety, beating the Rs 3-1 to move up to 18th place in the table and extend the gap between them and the relegation spots to eight points.
Taylor's men have a clear week before heading to Birmingham City, one of the teams they climbed above with yesterday's result, achieved by two goals from Jordan Hugill and one from Odoffin.
Rotherham are desperate to have midfielder Rathbone and right-back Peltier available for as much of their 11-game survival run-in as possible.
"They are not close, but we don't feel they're a million miles away," Taylor said. "Have they got a chance to be fit for next weekend? I honestly don't know.
"They're both sore. If they're both still sore on the back of three or four days' rest from Monday night (the 1-1 draw at Swansea City) that shows how serious it could be. Time will tell in relation to that."
A great day for the Millers against QPR was tarnished by an injury suffered by centre-half Bailey Wright.
The Sunderland loanee managed to stay on the pitch for the full match but has picked up a calf complaint.
If the 30-year-old is confined to the sidelines, Rotherham face a shortage in central defence as Grant Hall and Shaun Morrison are already in the treatment room and Taylor appears to have a reluctance to use Richard Wood who hasn't made the squad since the trip to Watford on January 21.
"Bailey's calf tightened up at half-time," the boss said. "I just hope and pray that there is no strain in there.
"He got through the game but he was visibly struggling with his mobility. I didn't want to take him off, I couldn't take him off. He is a warrior and he showed that against QPR. That is why we brought him to the club."