Bristol Rovers injury news ahead of Cambridge United as Gas handed significant double blow

Matt Taylor has confirmed that both Chris Martin and Joel Senior will be sidelined for significant periods of time after suffering injuries in Bristol Rovers' 2-0 defeat at Stockport County last weekend.

Martin has broken his fibula while Senior has sustained a serious hamstring tendon tear and, although a specific timescale hasn't been set for either player, realistically both could be out of action for around 10 weeks if not possibly longer.

The news on Martin is particularly damaging given the pressure that has already started to grow on Rovers' goal scoring output having netted just one goal in their opening three League One matches, Bryant Bilongo's match-winning header from a corner against Northampton Town on the opening day.

After sustaining a disjointed pre-season, the 35-year-old wasn't fully fit having made his return from a four-game ban against Rotherham United almost a fortnight ago but it does currently leave the Gas with just two recognised forwards in Promise Omochere and Ruel Sotiriou who are still yet to reach full fitness on the back of their summer arrivals in BS7.

"Not ideal really," Taylor declared on the injury front ahead of Saturday's home game against Cambridge United. "Chris has broken his fibula so he'll be out for a significant period of time and Joel has a significant tear of his hamstring tendon. So a disappointing day result-wise turned into a pretty bad day on the injury front.

"That's two impacts we've had now, obviously Chrissy and Jamie the week before. That can't be helped, those tackles, those moments, it's a physical game. We'll support both players through their rehabilitation but they won't be on the teamsheet any time soon.

"It's not a weight-bearing bone, the fibula, but it's a broken bone in his leg so it's going to be a significant period of time. Best case scenario between the six-to-eight week mark but realistically with where he'll be at having missed a chunk of pre-season, it might be closer to the 10-week mark and it'll be similar if not more for Joel."

Rovers have until 11pm on Friday night to complete their transfer business for the summer and, on the back of the news regarding the pair's long-term absences, supporters will be curious as to whether that may impact any potential incomings or outgoings before the window closes.

Regarding the transfer window, Taylor maintained his previous stance, stating that the Gas are comfortable with the business that they have conducted over the course of this summer but admitted that they have always been trying to sign another striker with the club hopeful that a new addition is close, although he didn't exactly specify the position.

Asked if the injuries affect Rovers' plans for the remainder of the transfer window, the Gas manager added: "No, we were trying before that. We're trying to have a strategy and a plan and stick to it without reacting to a result or an injury. We shouldn't have to do that if the planning is right. But I suppose in football sometimes you have to be reactive and with the injury being as serious as it is, it certainly puts pressure on who we've already got in the building and then keeping them fit for the longer period of time.

"Nothing has changed from our point of view in terms of the position that we're looking to bring in and hopefully we'll have one in."

Elsewhere on the injury front ahead of Cambridge, midfielder Jamie Lindsay remains sidelined with a medial ligament injury but there is hope he can return in a fortnight's time when Rovers host Wigan Athletic on September 14 while right-back Jack Hunt is understood to be fit having missed the start of the campaign with a hamstring strain.