Duo could return for Luton as Wilshere ponders changes for Rovers clash

Luton boss Jack Wilshere is pondering changes for tonight’s League One clash against Doncaster Rovers at Kenilworth Road, as he hopes to be able to consider on-loan duo Harrison Ashby and Dan Gore for selection.

The Hatters take to the field for their fourth game in 11 days, having made just one alteration to their starting XI in that time, Izzy Jones replacing the injured Hakeem Odoffin for Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Leicester City. The full back, who impressed in his role as right back, is a slight doubt this evening having been on the end of robust challenge from Foxes captain John Lundstram that saw the midfielder sent off for a second booking at the weekend.

With Town going again on Saturday at Peterborough United and then travelling to Huddersfield Town a week today, it might be that Wilshere opts to rotate his side, as asked if that might be the case, speaking straight after heaping more pressure on Foxes boss Russell Martin, he said: “Izzy got a knock, I hope he’s okay as he was excellent.

“That’s what you want from players coming into the team. The easy thing to do is say, ‘I haven’t played, or I haven’t got rhythm.’ No, that’s an excuse and Izzy definitely played like he’s been playing for a while, so credit to him for that. Can we go unchanged again? I don’t know. We have to look at it. I thought Kasey (Palmer) looked tired at the end, I thought Walshy (Liam Walsh) looked tired at the end.

"They have to do everything they can now to recover and let’s see if we’ve got any players back. Benny (Benagr), Jayden (Luker) and Shayden (Morris), they won’t be available. There’s a couple more that had a bigger session today, Ashby, Dan Gore, who are slightly closer, let’s see, they might be able to train.”

Having picked up back-to-back wins for the first time this campaign by beating Barnsley last Tuesday night before defeating the Foxes, Luton have a great chance to make it three successive victories against a Rovers side who had struggled on the road this term, without a league win until triumphing 2-0 at Peterborough United earlier this month.

A 2-0 success over Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday saw Doncaster climb out of the relegation zone and are now sitting 17th in the table, as under Grant McCann, the visitors represent a stern test in Wilshere’s mind, although Town’s manager has urged his side to use their last-minute winner against Leicester as a real boost going into the contest, adding: “We have to go again, we have to make this count, we have to make the last seven, eight minutes count where they gave everything to get the three points.

"One thing I’ve also learned is we have to take one game at a time. When I’ve been preparing for Leicester, that was the only thing on my mind. The thing that helped was, I actually watched Leicester versus Doncaster, so I know a little bit about them, and they’ll be disappointed they didn’t get something out of that game. They’re a good team, they’ve got a manager with a lot of experience. They’ve got some good players, they’ve got (Alfie) May up top, they’ve got the boy (Owen) Bailey in midfield who got in the (League One) Team of the Year last year, he’s a good player.

"We went there last year and it was very, very difficult. It was one of the only times I felt we nicked a point away from home. They’re a good team, they’re fighting for their lives. When I watch them and when I went there last year, what I really felt was, they’ve got a manager they truly believe in and when you’ve got that, you’ll fight for everything. So we have to be ready for that and we have to make this three points count.”