STAN Ternent's reaction to Saturday's dismal display against Rotherham has been to pick several key members of his first team squad for the reserve match against Preston North End at Turf Moor tonight.

"The fact of the matter is I have got players who need to play some games and that is why they will be playing tonight," he said.

There is no doubt that there are several senior players who will benefit from the run-out, not least central defender Ian Cox, who was well off the pace in the first half of his comeback game against the Millers on Saturday.

Strikers Ian Moore and Dimitri Papadopoulos have been reduced to cameo roles, Brad Maylett has not featured much while Gordon Armstrong is coming back from the injury that kept him out for several weeks.

Midfielder Tony Grant and defenders Arthur Gnohere and Mark McGregor, both suspended at the weekend, are also in the 16-man squad.

The recent spate of injuries that has seen Steve Davis, Paul Cook and Lee Briscoe join Andy Payton in the treatment room might have tempted Ternent to play a youth team against the Lancashire rivals but he believes it is more important to get his players back in serious action.

"You can't wrap them in cotton wool and even on the training ground there is the chance that they will get injured," said the manager who has already lost players from his squad following injuries down at Gawthorpe.

"The players that I have named all need to play matches and that is why I have to take the risk. I am already down to just 16 fit players again and if we do pick up any more injuries, I will just have to put some kids in."