Town don’t play again until Lincoln City visit Gay Meadow on September 9 after Sunday’s derby match against Wrexham was called off because off this weekend’s international fixtures.

Peters’ men now face a frustrating early season break after their unbeaten start to the campaign came to a disappointing end thanks to Rovers striker Lewis Haldane’s 21st minute strike at The Memorial Stadium.

Shropshire-born Cooke’s 45-minute run out – his first competitive appearance in a Town shirt – was one of the few positives the Town boss took from the game.

Peters is optimistic that his side’s attacking threat will improve when Cooke has more match fitness under his belt and is confident he can form a potent partnership with the pacy Derek Asamoah.

“It was brilliant to see Cookey come on,” said Peters. “He broke his toe three weeks ago and he still feels it and he’s not played a game – he’s not even played in the reserves – but I just felt that we’ve got to get him back in the fold.

“He’s got two reserve games coming up, one tomorrow and one next Monday, and he’ll be back to full fitness then.

“Kelvin didn’t do so well in the first half. He didn’t hold the ball up well and Cookey did and we had a different assault on them because he came into areas that Kelvin was missing out on. I think that will make us a better side.

“We’ve got lots of options up there. Glynn Hurst will be fit as well. By the time we play our next game we’ll have Glynn Hurst, Stewart Drummond and Cookey all available and probably Michael Symes and Dale Williams.

Peters refused to blame Tuesday’s narrow Carling Cup defeat against Championship side Birmingham for Saturday’s loss but admitted Town were “sluggish and inept”.

He said: “We were lifeless. I felt that key players looked tired. I thought they (Rovers) were lifeless as well. I thought Haldane looked lively and bright and he made runs down the side of us but I felt that both teams really didn’t have any buzz and they left it behind in midweek.

“Second half was better because we bought on some new legs in Andy Cooke and Stewart Drummond but we didn’t really hurt them enough.”