Special mask lined up for injured Rotherham United man Reece James
ROTHERHAM United’s Reece James will wear a protective mask if he gets the all clear to play this weekend.
James fractured his cheekbone against Blackpool last week, joining the club’s lengthy list of absentees.
With a League One Yorkshire derby at home to Huddersfield Town tomorrow (3pm) looming, the defender has been measured up for a mask in the event he gets the all-clear to be involved.
"He has an appointment with a specialist this week so we are seeing if he can potentially play with a mask on," said manager Matt Hamshaw. "He has already had the mask done so we are just waiting to see what the specialist says.
"Obviously Reece has had bit of a tough gig. He fractured his ribs and played through that and now he has fractured his cheekbone.”
The successive losses to Blackpool and Plymouth have doused the optimism generated by the previous nine-match unbeaten run.
"We have had a bad week,” added Hamshaw. “I was optimistic but then you look at Blackpool and the squad they have and at Plymouth and the investment they’ve had and they couldn’t get out of their half against us.
“As much as people say there is a lot wrong, I don’t think we’re that far off. I sound like a broken record but we just need these bodies back. The squad has shown when we have everybody available then we are a threat to most teams.”