Striker ends Millers spell

The former England Under-21 striker, said by Millmoor to have a minor back injury, would have been unfit for tomorrow's game against Mansfield and has returned to Doncaster Rovers for examination and treatment.

Rotherham boss Mark Robins signed the former Barnsley and Sheffield United forward from Rovers three weeks ago on a month's loan to cover for injuries.

The injury will be an acute blow to the 32-year-old, as he had stated on arrival at Millmoor: "As a striker you need games. Playing gives you confidence and the chance to score goals."

He played in last week's match at Barnet - his third appearance for the Millers - but went off in the 55th minute and did not figure in the draw at Macclesfield.

Robins brought back Derek Holmes, who scored, and the Millers manager was pleased with the way Holmes and Chris O'Grady linked up for the goal.

Dyer has made one appearance for Doncaster this season, as a sub.

It seems certain that Holmes and O'Grady will spearhead the attack tomorrow as the Millers look to profit from a home game against a Mansfield outfit who are bottom of the League Two table.

The Stags' on-loan Sheffield Wednesday midfield player, Sean McAllister, will be out to make an impression so close to home.

Tomorrow's match was due to be his last for Mansfield but the Owls have agreed to extend the loan to a second month.

Meanwhile

, Sheffield Wednesday striker Deon Burton is striving to get back on the goal trail and meet a challenge laid down by Brian Laws. The Owls manager has told Burton "we want more" and is concerned that the experienced front men has yet to add a Championship goal to some useful link play this season.

But Burton is confident that the goals will come and has set himself the target of surpassing the 13-goal tally he achieved last season.

"The goals haven't come yet but that's not bothering me because I know they will," said the striker, who hit two in the Carling Cup.

"I want to total what I got last season and then kick on.

"It's always a striker's target to better what he did the previous year."

Laws, gearing up for tomorrow's Hillsborough visit of Leicester, revealed that he has told Burton that he wants him to get in more shots at goal.

"We've been very patient. Deon started slowly last year. We want him to start now, get refocused and start scoring some goals," he said.

"We need him. He's a very good player.

"I expect him to go out and react and start getting shots at goal and start making himself more of a striker. At the moment, he is a link player."

"He's a strong-minded lad. He knows what we are asking. He totally agreed with it all. Hopefully we'll good a good response from him."

Laws revealed that Akpo Sodje, who was Burton's strike partner for the Watford game, has become the eighth player to be hit by injuries or illness this week.

Sodje hurt a knee at Vicarage Road. He is expected to be clear for tomorrow, but Laws says that only "around half" of the injured brigade have a chance of being fit.