Bristol Rovers' availability issues worsened on Tuesday with Harry Anderson suffering a suspected broken toe in the 2-0 defeat at Ipswich Town.
Rovers were well beaten by an impressive Ipswich side that is setting the pace at the top of the table and the pool of players available to Joey Barton has been restricted further with Anderson added to the injury list.
The versatile winger, aged 25, will have a scan on Wednesday to confirm the damage he sustained inside the first minute at Portman Road. He was penalised for a foul but his foot was planted beneath an Ipwsich boot and although he bravely played on for a quarter of an hour, he had to be substituted and could face a spell on the sidelines.
Rovers already have several starters on the injury list, with defenders James Connolly, Lewis Gibson and James Gibbons among the players ruled out for the time being, and that shortage has been exacerbated by both of Rovers' centre-halves – Bobby Thomas and Alfie Kilgour – receiving red cards, and thus one-match suspensions, on Tuesday.
"Everything that could go wrong tonight," Barton said. "Harry Anderson breaks his toe after the first minute in a foul that he gives away.
"Clearly, if you break your toe, it means someone’s stood on your foot and it’s one of those nights
"A frustrating night for us. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. Back to the drawing board."
Rovers are winless in five League One games ahead of the visit of Lincoln City to the Mem on Saturday and Barton's abilities to set up a makeshift team are going to be tested, particularly in defence.
Anderson is one of Barton's most versatile assets and his positional flexibility will be missed for any period that he is absent.
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