CORRY Evans played his first 90 minutes since December, with Tony Mowbray taking that as the one positive from Saturday’s defeat to Doncaster Rovers.

Evans has been troubled by a long-standing groin problem which saw him play just 19 times in a Rovers shirt last season.

The 27-year-old was named in a Rovers starting line-up for the first time since December 31, with his last 90 minutes coming in a 3-2 defeat at Preston on December 10.

He has featured in all three games so far this season, scoring in the Carabao Cup win at Coventry, but Mowbray won’t be taking any undue risks with his fitness.

“I think we need to manage Corry,” Mowbray said.

“He didn’t start at Southend because of that, what he’d been through.

“He didn’t kick a ball in the two months I was here last season, but I see on the training ground and in pre-season what a talented individual he is.

“We have to ease him back in to regular playing time so he will be in and out of the team.

“Corry is a very talented young guy but we don’t need to play him 90 minutes every game. 

“If you are looking for any positives from the game that was one.”

There was also a return from injury for Bradley Dack, a week after limping off on the opening day of the season at Southend, as he played the final 35 minutes.

Mowbray was hoping not to have to use the 23-year-old for fear of aggravating his slight hamstring injury, but with Rovers in need of a goal, the boss felt it was the right time to introduce his £750,000 summer signing.

“He had a hamstring injury and came off after an hour (at Southend),” Mowbray added.

“He didn’t train until Thursday when he did a bit on his own and then trained with the group on Friday.

“I didn’t want to lose him for six to eight weeks with a torn hamstring, but after watching him in training, I thought it was worth putting him on the bench, and if we needed him, to put him on the pitch.

“The ideal situation would have been for us to have been winning and him to sit and watch and then get a full week training and being 100 per cent sure this week.

“It was just an injury concern.”