DONCASTER Rovers striker Paul Heffernan will definitely miss Friday's League One promotion play-off second-leg against Southend United at the Keepmoat Stadium.
Rovers yesterday decided against making an appeal against Heffernan's three-match ban following his dismissal for head butting defender Charlie Mulgrew in Friday's 0-0 draw at Roots Hall.
That means that Heffernan, who scored in the club's Johnstone's Paints Trophy final win over Bristol Rovers at the Millennium Stadium last season, will also miss out on the final at Wembley on May 25 against either Leeds or Carlisle; were Rovers to beat the Shrimpers.
Heffernan's absence will be a blow to Rovers' hopes on Friday.
Last season's top scorer had looked to be back to his best form in the last couple of games on his return to the side following an injury-hit campaign.
Many supporters view his strike partnership with Jason Price as the best of manager Sean O'Driscoll's combinations.
O'Driscoll rates the former Notts County and Bristol City forward as the best natural finisher on the club's books.
Although O'Driscoll is not short of attacking options the likelihood is that he would have stuck by the Heffernan-Price combination in view of the problems that they caused Southend last Friday.
But instead of looking forward to the game the personable Heffernan will spend the week rueing his moment of madness at Roots Hall - something which was totally out of character.
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