Matt Taylor has admitted that there is concern for Gatlin O’Donkor who appeared to sustain a hamstring issue in Bristol Rovers’ 4-0 defeat at Swindon Town on Tuesday night while there also seems to be an issue with Promise Omochere.
O’Donkor started Rovers’ loss as one of nine changes made to the side that started the 3-1 win at Burton Albion in League One three days prior as a desperately poor first half performance saw the Gas concede four goals against a much-changed League Two outfit.
The striker went down and was treated midway through the first half before being brought off before half-time for Promise Omochere with the issue evidently persisting.
The Gas are now out of action until October 19 when they travel to Huddersfield Town in League One but it now appears as though the Oxford United loanee will be a doubt. Meanwhile, Omochere was brought back off in the second half as he also played with a gingerness, looking to be in some discomfort.
“Hamstring,” Taylor declared when asked about O’Donkor’s injury. “It’s not a popped hamstring, but there’s a certain tightness and a problem in there. So he’ll have a scan and Promise, yeah, we’re learning about Promise’s body day in, day out. Three days post his exertions at Burton and he couldn’t quite replicate it for long enough.
“His plan was only to be there a short amount of time, but even as soon as he went on, he didn’t seem quite right. So, yeah, we’ll learn a little bit more in terms of that.
“We’ll have to assess them,” the Rovers manager added. “Gats’ is the bigger worry because I think there’s a sort of problem there. That puts pressure on the front line, of course it does.”
O’Donkor saw a shot saved in the first half but contributed very little else on a tough night for the team that started but has shown promise from the bench in recent weeks.
The 19-year-old earned himself a start against Wycombe after scoring and getting an assist from the bench against Peterborough in one of the best individual displays from a forward so far this season. Additionally, he bagged another assist last weekend when setting up Grant Ward for the Gas’ third goal against Burton.
Meanwhile, Omochere was dropped for that Wycombe game but his response has been impressive. The 23-year-old striker still has two goals to his name, both scored against Cambridge United at the end of August, but picked up two assists in the 3-2 win over Charlton and was a major presence at the top end of the pitch in the second half at Burton.
If both are unavailable for the Huddersfield game, it’ll mean that Ruel Sotiriou and Shaq Forde will be Rovers’ only available recognised strikers with Chris Martin still set to be absent until November at the very earliest.
