Bristol Rovers defender Harbottle sidelined for three to four weeks

Riley Harbottle is set for a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, while Keenan Gough returns to the Bristol Rovers squad for the Gillingham match.

Bristol Rovers will be without defender Riley Harbottle for their next few matches after he suffered a hamstring injury. Manager Steve Evans confirmed the centre-back is expected to miss three to four weeks of action.

Harbottle sustained the injury during the first half of the 2-0 defeat at Grimsby Town last weekend. That loss saw Rovers drop from the top of the League Two table, where they now sit second with 12 points from six games. Evans gave the update at a press conference held at The Quarters Training Facility on Thursday.

Evans on the injury

"Yeah, Riley will miss the weekend," Evans said. "He's got a small tear in his hamstring, so we're probably looking at three weeks."

The manager added a note of caution regarding hamstring recoveries, referencing a famous piece of advice. "I think if people go back to the YouTube archives and the BBC archives, probably more importantly, you can see that Brian Clough was asked about one player having a hamstring," Evans said. "And he says, 'And when the medical staff tells me he's ready, just give him one more week, son, one more week, and that will sort his hamstring out.'"

Cover at the back

With Harbottle unavailable, Evans pointed to the experienced options he has to fill the void. "Boy is gutted, but that's where we are, but that's why we have Ciarán Kelly, and that's why we have Alfie Kilgour vying for a place on Saturday, maybe even both, so we'll see," the manager stated.

In more positive news, Keenan Gough has returned to training and is available for selection. The midfielder missed the last four league matches but is now fully fit. "Keenan Gough is fit and ready to play for the upcoming match," Evans confirmed.

The immediate focus is on Saturday's trip to face Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium. Gillingham currently occupy 11th place in the standings. Rovers will be looking to bounce back from the Grimsby defeat, a match where Kieran Green and Géza Dávid Turi scored for the hosts.

Despite the setback, Bristol Rovers' form remains strong with three wins and a draw in their last five outings. The squad depth will be tested during Harbottle's absence, with the next run of games key to maintaining their position near the summit. The latest standings show the tight nature of the early-season League Two race.