'Sorely missed' - Bristol Rovers 'fear' key midfielder will be sidelined for 'weeks' by injury

Bristol Rovers first-team coach Kevin Bond fears that Grant Ward will be out for "weeks" due to an injury he sustained in the FA Cup last weekend.

The midfielder was replaced early in the second-half at Norwich City by Luke McCormick. The former Blackpool player scored a brilliant goal in the first-half to level proceedings at Carrow Road and Gasheads will be hopeful that his injury isn't too serious.

"I fear it will be weeks and not days and he will be sorely missed," said Bond. "He gives us something that we haven't got in terms of his energy levels in the middle of the park and he's done very well, he scored a terrific on Saturday I thought, a terrific goal, so we will miss him."

A midfielder crisis could be on the cards following the recent loan recalls of Lamare Bogarde and Ryan Woods and it certainly means that the Gas are a bit thin on the ground in that area of the pitch.

Jordan Rossiter is midfielder who has been out of action on a longer-term basis and Bond gave an update regarding his current status. "I'm not entirely sure that he's anything anywhere near imminent in terms of him being able to put a shirt on for us and help us in in the immediate future."

The former Rangers man has been sidelined for over year with a serious knee injury and Bond went onto say: "I feel very sorry for Jordan because he has been beset with setbacks and there isn’t a better professional you're going to meet. He rocks up here in the morning he’s always got a smile on his face, he's a brilliant guy, a brilliant professional."

The midfield situation begs the question whether Rovers will dip into the transfer market before the deadline in just under three weeks time, whether for a loan option or for a permanent deal.

With a League One trip to Barnsley on Saturday it leaves McCormick, Antony Evans and Sam Finley with big roles to play and supporters will be praying that those three can avoid injury with Rovers' third-round FA Cup replay against Norwich next Wednesday, with the winner heading to Merseyside to face Liverpool at Anfield in the fourth-round.