Rovers’ selection issues have been compounded by John Buckley’s three-match ban, but also the injury to Sam Szmodics.

Szmodics sustained a quadricep issue on the eve of the Sunderland game which also kept him out of the defeat to Middlesbrough.

Head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson has now revealed that the summer signing will be out for a couple of weeks, with the attacker set to miss the New Year’s Day game at home to Cardiff City and also the FA Cup tie at Norwich City on January 8.

Buckley will miss those two matches, and also the Championship match at Rotherham United on January 14, meaning the midfielder, who has just earned his place back in the team, won’t be available again until the game at Bristol City on January 21.

That is due to the three-match ban that comes with a red card for violent conduct.

Rovers are already without Tyrhys Dolan, who has already missed two matches and is set to be out for at least two more, with a groin injury.

Callum Brittain remains out with a knee issue sustained in the Preston North End defeat on December 10 as Rovers count the cost of their rising absentee list.

Despite the three-day turnaround, Tomasson named only a second unchanged team of the season for the Middlesbrough game, despite being beaten at Sunderland on Boxing Day.

He was rewarded with an impressive first half performance, as Rovers led through Ryan Hedges’ early goal, but a nightmare start to the second half saw Boro leave with the points.

“We are of course stretched at the moment,” Tomasson explained.

“We were unlucky to lose Sammie, it was a very strange situation at the training ground the day before Sunderland.

“It was an awkward position and he will be out for a couple of weeks.

“Dolan against Nottingham Forest with that body check, where they scored the third goal that should have been a free kick, he did it in that.

“So there’s been a bit of unlucky things.”

Those injuries have restricted Tomasson’s option to freshen up his starting line-up, while he has only made two substitutions in each of the last two matches.

Adam Wharton came into the squad in place of Ash Phillips as Rovers made a change to the bench, although that was a tactical decision, rather than injury-related.

Clinton Mola and Tayo Edun are other players that are available for selection but didn’t make the matchday squad, while Hayden Carter and Jack Vale are on the comeback trail after missing the four games since the restart due to calf problems.

“Hayden and Jack will be joining the training, so there will be some players coming back,” Tomasson added.

“But we of course have Sam (Barnes) young (Jake) Batty and Callum (Brittain) with his knee, which is a lot (of players out).”

Bradley Dack started a fourth consecutive Championship match for the first time since November 2019, but was again substituted in the second half.

Captain Lewis Travis and midfield partner Jake Garrett were sent on to beef up the middle of the pitch after Boro’s second goal, though the switch was greeted by boos from a section of the home crowd.

Explaining the decision, Tomasson pointed to Dack’s inability to get through 90 minutes, and also the state of the game.

He added: “Bradley played a lot in the last period and is one of those who has difficulty to play 90 minutes in this period, like three times a week, he’s not able to do that.

“I took him off against Sunderland and again today, and of course a bit with the formation as well when we played with 10 men.”

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