Ryan Loft is unlikely to be available for Bristol Rovers' League One clash at Bolton Wanderers on Friday after the striker became the latest player in Joey Barton's squad to be struck down by an illness.
Barton was without the likes of Jordan Rossiter, John Marquis and Zain Westbrooke for Sunday's shock FA Cup defeat to Boreham Wood due to the bug, while Sam Finley and James Belshaw played despite feeling unwell. The manager has said it has now reached around half his squad to varying degrees over the past week.
Six-goal striker Loft – who has emerged as a key player for the Gas this season and has only just returned from a hamstring injury – is the latest man to go down, missing training on Wednesday and with the Gas travelling to Greater Manchester on Thursday, the 25-year-old is unlikely to improve sufficiently in time to make the trip.
