Tony Mowbray could use today’s Lancashire Senior Cup tie as a chance to hand minutes to several of his fringe players.

Mowbray has spoken with members of his squad about the option of playing a part in the quarter-final tie with Everton at Brockhall at 1pm.

Harry Chapman and Jacob Davenport were part of the first-team travelling squad to Preston at the weekend, but didn’t make the match-day 18.

Richie Smallwood is also short of football this season, yet to feature in a Championship matchday squad, and turned out for the Under-23s earlier this month. John Buckley and Joe Rankin-Costello were unused substitutes at Preston, but did play for the Under-23s in their win at Crystal Palace on October 17 and Mowbray is keen to avoid players going any extended period of time without football.

Danny Graham scored from the spot in round one as Rovers started their quest for a 19th Senior Cup title with a 2-0 win over Accrington Stanley.

The striker has played 34 minutes of football since the international break, and the 34-year-old could come in to consideration, while Ben Brereton (knee) and Dominic Samuel (groin) could step up their respective injury comebacks with minutes for Billy Barr’s side.

“The players get monthly planners, they know their schedule,” Mowbray explained.

“I don’t bully my footballers in to playing because they might not have played for a few weeks. I just say that they haven’t played for a few weeks and leave it hanging with them really.

“If they see that as a suggestion from the manager that if they got 90 minutes it would give them a batter chance of playing in the first-team then they’ll jump on it.

“Senior players need to play football.

“They can’t four, five, six weeks without playing football and as Smallwood did to play at Derby, knocked on my door.

“Conscientious, good, footballers tend to know what they need to do.

“We will carry that on in the Senior Cup.”

Rovers Under-23s drew 0-0 at Liverpool on Saturday and are set to embark on a hectic schedule of fixtures which will allow for several players to push their cases for first-team involvement.

Dan Butterworth scored twice on his comeback from a back injury in a win at Southampton last week, with Mowbray already revealing that Brereton and Samuel will feature for the Under-23s at some point to prove their fitness.

Barr’s side will play six times in November, starting with a trip to Chelsea on Saturday.

They continue their Premier League Cup programme by hosting Middlesbrough on November 8 and face Burnley on November 29 in that competition.

They also face Hertha Berlin (November 15) and Benfica (November 25) as they start their Premier League International Cup campaign.

Senior Cup quarter finals: Rovers v Everton, Burnley v AFC Fylde, Preston North End v Barrow, Morecambe v Wigan