Bristol Rovers will have to make a late decision on whether or not Promise Omochere is involved in their League One clash at home to Lincoln City on Saturday afternoon with the forward still not fully recovered from an ankle injury.
The 24-year-old was forced off in the first half of Rovers’ 1-0 defeat at Reading just shy of a fortnight ago and didn’t feature in either of the cup matches against Exeter City and Weston-super-Mare last week.
Despite scoring just two goals so far in blue-and-white quarters, the Irishman has proven to be a handful at the top end of the pitch while also contributing three assists as he continues to improve after a disjointed pre-season.
Although he has made progress this week in the build-up to facing the Imps, Omochere is still feeling some pain and discomfort, according to his manager, and will therefore be a late call ahead of Saturday.
“It’s touch and go with Promise,” Matt Taylor said looking ahead to this weekend’s game. “Every day we seem to be getting closer but there’s still discomfort and pain within that ankle joint so that will be a late decision.”
Elsewhere, the Gas are guaranteed to have at least one forward back in contention in Shaq Forde who served a one-game suspension in the FA Cup win over Weston on the back of seeing two yellow cards at Reading.
They are also seemingly confident that defender James Wilson will be available for selection after he also missed the FA Cup tie with a knee issue while the likes of Gatlin O’Donkor and Joel Senior are making good progress from respective hamstring injuries but this weekend will prove to be too early.
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Although it might be up for debate amongst some, Wilson has been one of Rovers’ best players of the season at the back so far this term and also acts as a much-needed experienced head in defence.
The 35-year-old has played every minute of every league game so far this campaign, a much-improved record compared to last season when he struggled for a consistent run of games amid repeated injury concerns.
“Willo’s knee is in a better place than it has been,” Taylor added. “He had it drained and then they inject fluid back into it to lubricate the joint as far as I know. So it’s strange to take stuff out to put some other stuff back into it. But he’s settled down pretty well, so we expect him to be in a better capacity going into the game this weekend.
“Bar, Gats and Joel Senior who aren’t quite ready to return to the playing group, we don’t see them in too bad a place.”