Preview: Doncaster Rovers vs Huddersfield Town - prediction, team news, lineups

Doncaster Rovers and Huddersfield Town will meet in their second Yorkshire derby in eight days and a game of major importance at both ends of the League One table at the Eco-Power on Saturday.

The two sides met in an EFL Trophy quarter-final tie in Huddersfield on Tuesday, while the visitors sit sixth in England's third tier and the hosts sit just one point and place above the relegation zone.

Match preview

Doncaster Rovers return to League One action on Tuesday after a free weekend in search of a victory to increase their lead over the League One relegation zone.

In their first season back in England's third tier after League Two promotion, the South Yorkshire side currently sit 21st with 33 points on the board from 30 games, largely due to a dismal run between mid-September and New Year's Day in which they managed just one win and seven points from 17 league matches.

Grant McCann's men did then show signs of life, though, climbing out of the relegation zone with three wins in a five-match span, finishing with a 2-1 away triumph over Burton Albion in early February before visiting Wycombe Wanderers in their last league outing.

The Rovers failed to make it back-to-back league wins, instead succumbing to a 4-0 beating with Aaron Morley, Cauley Woodrow, Fred Onyedinma and Jamie Mullins on the scoresheet, before meeting Huddersfield Town in a midweek EFL Trophy tie and booking a semi-final spot with a penalty shootout triumph, having drawn 1-1 in normal time thanks to Billy Sharp's opener from the spot.

Now sitting just one place and one point above Burton Albion in the final relegation spot, Doncaster Rovers will hope to make a crucial return to winning ways on home turf on Tuesday.

In their way stand a visiting side hoping for a rebound win of their own in their fight at the top end of the division.

Left disappointed by a pair of defeats in January harming their top-six bid, Huddersfield Town opted to dismiss Lee Grant and appoint Liam Manning, who oversaw an immediate improvement and three straight league wins over Bradford City, Luton Town and Peterborough United.

A first slip then followed at home to Blackpool, as they at least snatched a point in a 2-2 draw thanks to late goals from Marcus Harness and Cameron Ashia, before meeting Doncaster in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday and failing in the penalty shootout, having extended the tie past 90 minutes thanks to Ashia's equaliser.

On their return to league action in a bid to strengthen their standing in the playoff spots, the Terriers visited Stevenage on Saturday but lost for the first time in the league under their new boss, as Carl Piergianni broke the deadlock and snatched the points for the hosts five minutes from time.

Still sitting sixth, but now just three points ahead of seventh-placed Reading who have a game in hand, Huddersfield Town head to Doncaster needing a win to boost their top-six claim.

Doncaster Rovers League One form:

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Doncaster Rovers form (all competitions):

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Huddersfield Town League One form:

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Huddersfield Town form (all competitions):

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Team News

Doncaster Rovers head into Tuesday's game with a relatively clean bill of health, following Ben Close's return from injury for last week's EFL Trophy tie, although goalkeeper Zander Clark has missed the last three games.

Veteran Billy Sharp will hope to lead the line after his goal in last week's cup game, but Grant McCann may switch back to January loan arrival Elliot Lee up front.

The preferred front man will have support from the likes of Hakeeb Adelakun, Luke Molyneux and talisman Owen Bailey, who boasts 11 league goals from midfield this season, while Close will hope to make a first League One start since December.

Huddersfield Town remain without attacker Alfie May, who is onto the final game of a four-league-match ban after receiving his second red card of the season.

Joe Low, Jack Whatmough, Bojan Radulovic and new loan arrival Ryan Hardie will also remain confined to the treatment room, likely leaving Dion Charles and Marcus Harness to lead a thin attack.

Marcus McGuane was also forced off early in Saturday's loss to Stevenage, and if he is unable to make Tuesday's game, Cameron Humphreys will rejoin Ryan Ledson in the engine room from the outset.

Doncaster Rovers possible starting lineup:

Lo-Tutala; Sterry, Byrne, McGrath, Senior; Gotts; Molyneux, Bailey, Clifton, Adelakun; Sharp

Huddersfield Town possible starting lineup:

Nicholls; Balker, Feeney, Wallace; Gooch, Ledson, Humphreys, Kasumu, Mumba; Harness; Charles

We say: Doncaster Rovers 1-1 Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield Town's initial hot start under Manning appears to have failed, not helped by their lack of attacking options currently, and we see them being frustrated by a Doncaster Rovers side showing signs of life in the fight for survival.

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