Millers facing county crunch

"This will be a difficult game and a big test," said Millers manager Mark Robins.

"We are expecting one of our hardest games of the season," reckons Stockport boss Jim Gannon.

Both managers have had the opportunity to twice check out the other at first hand, perhaps unusual at this very early stage of the season.

Robins checked on Stockport in their Carling Cup win over Ronnie Moore's Tranmere and then in their draw at Saltergate last Saturday.

Gannon popped across to Millmoor for the games with Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough.

"What I'd heard about Stockport has been confirmed in the games I've seen," said Robins.

"They are a decent side, workmanlike with strong players. They do not concede a lot of goals and they are a difficult side on their own ground.

"This will be a big test for us and, rather like last Sunday (against fancied Peterborough) we might have a better idea of where we stand at this early stage of our develpment."

Gannon felt that Rotherham's performance last Sunday marked them down as a team to note at this level.

"I think Rotherham will certainly be one of the teams in our division," said Gannon.

"I've seen enough of them in two games to know that we'll be in for a tough one tomorrow and I expect it to be one of our hardest games of the season."

Robins has selection posers including midfield assuming that Stephen Brogan is fully recovered from the hamstring strain suffered against Sheffield Wednesday.

It could be, in view of the performance against Peterborough, that he will go with an unchanged side and not risk pushing Brogan back in too quickly although he was back training on Thursday.

At left back Robins has to decide whether to stick with Marc Joseph who came in for rested Paul Hurst against Peterborough.

Stockport will run a final check on striker Liam Dickinson, who suffered a head injury in last Saturday's draw at Chesterfield.

Rotherham are expected to be well backed for the short trip to Edgeley Park, a ground where the Millers secured promotion in 1989 with a 3-1 win. Last visit there was in 2001 when they won 1-0.