Rovers duo in late tests

Both men missed Sunday's 2-0 win over Crewe with hamstring problems and both have had daily treatment during the week.

One man who will definately be included in manager Sean O'Driscoll's squad - though it is unlikely that he will feature in the starting line-up - is centre-back Steve Roberts. The former Welsh international missed out on the Crewe game with a foot injury, but has proved his fitness in training this week.

James Coppinger will also travel with the team today if he reports no adverse reaction to yesterday's training session.

But with his ankle still not 100 per cent following the ligament injury sustained against Bournemouth almost a month ago, he is again likely to start on the bench if involved.

Said O'Driscoll: "James is an important member of the squad and he gives you something that no-one else does and it would be nice to have him back fully fit.

"But to be fair to Lewis Guy he has come in and has done really well so we haven't missed him as much as we probably would have otherwise done."

Looking ahead to tomorrow's game O'Driscoll said: "Having played in the Championship last season, Southend have got an air of assurance or confidence about them having dropped down a level. I would imagine that they would back themselves to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season, so it will be a difficult game for us.

"Their results might have been mixed but all the reports that we have had on them have all been very favourable.

"They probably missed a goalscorer like Freddie Eastwood (who joined Wolves in the summer) but they have brought in Leon Clarke on loan and he has sort of filled that gap and results seem to have picked up."