Late fitness test for Dean
DONCASTER Rovers left-sided midfielder Dean Shiels will face a late fitness test ahead of tonight's testing Championship clash at Leicester City.
Shiels suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat against Reading and didn't train yesterday.
Centre-back Shelton Martis also came off in the same match with what appeared at the time to be a foot or ankle injury, but the problem was nothing more serious than cramp, and he is expected to start tonight,
Looking ahead to the club's first visit to the Walkers Stadium, Rovers boss Sean O'Driscoll said: "Leicester are like all other sides in the Championship in that they've got really good individuals who can win games and they are organised because you have to be in this division.
"They got some momentum from last season's promotion, have got a bit of financial backing and have got good support, so they have got all the ingredients to do well and it is not surprising to see them there or thereabouts.
"They'll be pleased with their away win on Saturday at Blackpool, which is never an easy place to go, especially being without Richie (Wellens) who was suspended."
Disappointed to have lost Wellens in the summer, O'Driscoll expects him to return to the Foxes side tonight despite the fact that Nigel Pearson's side won in the league for the first time this year without him.
"I saw him play at Queens Park Rangers, when they were flying high, and he was outstanding," he said.
"He was always one of the first names on the sheet when he was here and I'm sure that it is the same at Leicester."
The 29 year-old scored ten goals in his two seasons at Doncaster, where he formed an outstanding midfield partnership with skipper Brian Stock, but has yet to get off the mark for the Foxes.
Tonight's game is the first meeting of the two sides since the mid-50s.
They were scheduled to meet over the festive period at the Keepmoat Stadium but the game, which had been expected to attract one of the biggest gates of the season for a non-derby game, was hit by the wintry weather.
Rovers' record against Leicester away from home is hardly impressive, and you have to go back to the 1902-03 season for their only win, and only points, there.
Having lost their last three league games, a first away win over the Foxes for over a hundred years would give Rovers a timely boost.
Not that O'Driscoll is starting to panic.
"By and large, especially the last two games, we've walked off the pitch thinking that there wasn't a lot more that we could have done," he said.
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Weather for Sheffield
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Fog
Temperature: -6 C to 0 C
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Sunny spells
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