Rotherham United: Millers lacking defensive numbers as they look for progression in Leasing.com Trophy

Warne, whose side will qualify for the next round with a win, will be without Richard Wood, Joe Mattock, Trevor Clarke and Clark Robertson for the visit to Sincil Bank.

Club captain Wood is the latest casualty after picking up a hamstring injury in the Millers' 3-1 FA Cup win at non-league Maidenhead.

Warne is expecting the centre-half to miss up to a month, though the full extent will only be known when the results of Wood's scan on Monday come back.

"It will be three to four weeks at least," the boss said. "The scan will show how severe it is."

Wood joins left-backs Mattock and Clarke in the treatment room, though the latter has joined up with Republic of Ireland Under-21s for the international break and will be assessed by his country's medical staff in the hope he might be able to play.

Clarke is in the squad for qualifiers against Armenia and Sweden over the next 10 days.

“Ireland asked him to go over," Warne added. “He's met their doctor and physio and he's had a scan to assess the severity of the damage and to see if he'll be able to play in the second game."

Robertson is nearing a comeback from a groin problem that has kept him out for a month, but he will not be risked against the Imps.

"I don't think Robbo will be ready in time for the Lincoln game," Warne said. "We might have to play a different system to accommodate the disasters.

"Hopefully Robbo will join in training next week," said Warne after the cup victory at York Road in Berkshire.

"He needs to because I'm going through my players at the back like water at the moment. I've already lost both left-backs. I've lost a centre-half today. It's a bit of a concern.”

The Millers are back in action three days after their tough cup assignment at the National League side, which they eventually passed.

"It was tough," Warne said. "We didn't expect anything less. We had done our due diligence on them. We did all the work on them we possibly could and showed them full respect.

"I played non-league until I was 23 before turning pro so I knew how hard it was going to be."