Darragh Lenihan admits an injury-hit 2017-18 campaign means he will do all he can to be available for Rovers’ trip to West Brom tomorrow.
Lenihan has already matched his number of league appearances from last season when he missed six months of action with an ankle injury.
The 24-year-old, who has started all 14 of Rovers’ Championship matches so far, was forced off just 12 minutes in to the defeat at Swansea City on Tuesday with a bruised hip.
But he hopes to be fit for the weekend, saying: “I’ve been with the physios and hopefully I’ll be back for Saturday.
“I don’t like missing games, my plan was to get as many games in as I can after last season.
“I will do my best and whatever I can to get myself fit and we’ll wait and see.
“I don’t like watching games. I like to be in control and I feel more nervous on the sidelines than I do on the pitch.
“It was disappointing to lose in that manner. We have to put that behind us and focus on Saturday.”
Lenihan admits a trip to West Brom comes at the end of a ‘tough week’ for Rovers who have faced Leeds and Swansea in the last six days.
“It’s a huge game. This has been a tough week.” Lenihan added ahead of the Hawthorns trip to face a side who have scored 32 goals in their 14 league matches so far.
“Leeds have gone back to the top of the league, Swansea and West Brom were in the Premier League last year, but we have worked so hard to get in to this position and appreciate being here and will look forward to the game.
“You want to be involved in those challenges, I enjoy those challenges and it makes you better as a player and certainly drives me on.”
Rovers have taken 21 points from their opening 14 matches, a return Lenihan believes shows they merit a place in the second tier.
He added: “I think the start to the season shows that we do deserve to be in this league.
“We can beat anyone on our day, we’ve beaten some good teams in this league and I think we will get better as the season goes on.
“We just need to work hard on the training pitch and focus.
“We have put the Leeds and Swansea games behind us and are now focused on West Brom.
“I think this team is going in the right direction.”
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