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Rovers set to lose Ward
DONCASTER Rovers' boss Sean O'Driscoll is resigned to losing on-loan defender Elliott Ward next week after admitting: "We can't afford to keep him."
The Coventry centre-half completes a month's loan after next Tuesday's trip to Peterborough.
But O'Driscoll has confessed the cost of keeping him at the club is beyond Rovers' reach – although he is not ruling out an attempt to bring Ward back next season.
"It's a difficult one because financially, no, we can't afford it," said the manager after the 25-year-old returned to the back four in the 1-1 draw at Preston last night.
"Shelton (Martis) will hopefully be fit and if he is then maybe we have plugged that gap short-term.
"Adam Lockwood is obviously back in contention as well, although he hasn't played any games. He looks ok at the moment so, touch wood, that mini-crisis seems to have eased somewhat.
"Elliott has done well for us and is someone we might be interested in the summer, although I don't know financially what we can or can't do."
Rovers have agreed to extend Paul Heffernan's loan stay at Bristol Rovers to a second month with an automatic recall clause in the deal.
But while that trims the wage bill for another four weeks it still does not free up enough cash to keep Ward beyond Saturday's home game with Derby and the trip to London Road.
Meanwhile, O'Driscoll was satisfied with a point from last night's trip to Deepdale, even though a missed penalty cost Rovers a second away victory in three days.
James Hayter was on the mark after 29 minutes, Preston levelling through Neil Mellor three minutes before the break. But top scorer Billy Sharp saw his 56th minute spot-kick well saved by keeper Andrew Lonergan.
"I'm disappointed because we had the penalty to get our noses back in front," said the manager. "We could have been out of sight by half-time.
"Two tough away games in three days, four points and I would have taken that."
Rovers, up to 11th, are seven points off the play-off places but O'Driscoll insists only survival is on his mind.
"We're more concerned with staying in this division," he said. "Trying to avoid relegation is more important than anything else. Once that's achieved we'll see where we are."
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Weather for Sheffield
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
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