DARRAGH Lenihan and Corry Evans returned to full training today while Marcus Antonsson and Ben Gladwin have also stepped up their recovery as the Rovers treatment room starts to clear.

Lenihan is on his way back from a fractured metatarsal which has sidelined him since the opening game of the season, while Evans has missed three weeks with a thigh injury. They are the two closest to a first-team return, though Lenihan is set to feature for the Under-23s before any full comeback is considered.

Antonsson (ankle) sustained his injury against Scunthorpe on December 30, while Gladwin (knee) was forced to undergo an operation after picking up his problem in November.

Rovers boss Tony Mowbray said: “Watching training today, I’m happy with the group we’ve got.

“Seeing Antonsson and Gladwin tearing through poles and whacking balls, they’re not far away.

“Corry joined in training today and so did Lenihan. That’s potentially four on their way back, and I already have selection issues without them.”

Peter Whittingham (calf) and Harry Chapman (hamstring) remain in the treatment room, with both still several weeks from a return.

Rovers’ options have been boosted by three new additions so far this month, with Amari’i Bell set to be involved this weekend having been unavailable for the trip to his former club Fleetwood last time out.

But he is the only player likely to be added to the squad.

Of his injured players Mowbray added: “I think one or two days training doesn’t warrant me throwing them straight in to play, particularly if the team is functioning and winning at the moment.

“They will probably benefit from a full week’s training.

“Down the line, definitely Darragh, has to play some football and we will probably look at an Under-23s game in the near future. We would then make a call on the others.

“Corry won’t need to because he’s only been out a couple of weeks, Ben has been out six to eight weeks and Marcus three or four weeks.

“We’ll make some calls on them but if they join in training and look good, as they did, it’s telling me they are not far away. The latter two are with the sports science team running in and out of cones, using the ball and striking it well. Another week or two and we’ll have more options.”