Doncaster Rovers defender Jamie Sterry could be available for this weekend's League One match against AFC Wimbledon. Manager Grant McCann provided the update on the 30-year-old right-back's fitness following his side's midweek EFL Trophy defeat to Huddersfield Town.

McCann confirmed the severity of Sterry's hamstring issue is not as bad as initially feared. The player has missed four matches across all competitions since being forced off while wearing the captain's armband in Doncaster's cup exit to Middlesbrough. "We'll see. We'll give him as long as we possibly can," McCann told the Doncaster Free Press.

McCann's cautious approach

Despite the feasible timeline for a return against Wimbledon, the manager stressed caution. "If he's right, 100 per cent right, we'll play him. If he's not, we won't," McCann said. "We won't be taking any sort of gambles this early in the season with anybody." Sterry has been a regular in McCann's backline for all three of the manager's seasons back at the club, featuring for 90 minutes in the opening league defeat to Mansfield and the subsequent goalless draw with Barnsley.

His potential return would be a welcome boost for a Doncaster side that has faced challenges in the right-back position. In his absence, midfielders Owen Bailey and centre-back Sean Grehan have been asked to fill in. Tom Nixon has not played competitively since April due to injury, though McCann noted a 23-year-old player is making steady progress in rehabilitation and could soon provide another option. There is no update on Frankie, who is not expected back for several months.

The Wimbledon challenge

AFC Wimbledon head into the fixture sitting 16th in the League One table with seven points from their opening five games. Their form has been mixed, with two wins, one draw and two losses in their last five outings, a sequence reading WLWLD. They travel to the Eco-Power Stadium on the back of a 2-0 away win at Bromley in the EFL Trophy, where goals from Jayden Stockley and Myles Hippolyte secured the victory.

For Doncaster, the international break may offer a benefit, with striker James Collins away on duty. McCann will hope to have Sterry back to help shore up a defence facing a Wimbledon attack that has scored four league goals this term. With Doncaster currently 22nd in the standings, both teams will be keen to secure points. The manager's final decision on Sterry will be made after assessing the player in training later this week.