Bristol Rovers are unlikely to have top scorer Ruel Sotiriou amongst their ranks when they host Reading this Saturday lunchtime while they will certainly be without Isaac Hutchinson who is having to undergo concussion protocol, Inigo Calderon has confirmed.
Sotiriou was forced off in the first half of Rovers’ 1-0 defeat at home to Stevenage on Monday with an ankle injury and was replaced, coincidentally by Hutchinson.
Within five minutes of coming on, the attacking midfielder was hit in the head by a ball but played on. However, he reported to club medics that he couldn’t remember the aftermath of being hit and has since undergone concussion protocol.
Rovers are already short of available strikers with Promise Omochere and Chris Martin both out for the remainder of the season, leaving Calderon with even more limited options in attack. Sotiriou is currently on six goals for the season, more than any of his teammates, with five of those coming at the Mem since the turn of the year.
Speaking ahead of hosting the Royals this Saturday lunchtime, Calderon confirmed: “We don’t know yet [about Ruel Sotiriou’s availability]. It’s going to be a big. doubt. We have Isaac as well with a concussion.
“When you’re in a bad run, everything goes against you. But as I say, I haven’t put the excuse two months ago. I don’t want to put excuses now. So the ones that are fit, they have to try to do the best things for us.”
The question on every fan’s mind will be whether that could pave the way for a return for Michael Reindorf who has not played for the Gas since February 22 away at Northampton Town.
Since joining on loan from Cardiff City on deadline day, the 19-year-old has made just three appearances for Rovers and has often been excluded from matchday squads in the place of 17-year-old academy product Ollie Dewsbury. His last appearance on the bench was in the 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers earlier this month.
Calderon has previously noted that Reindorf hasn’t performed to the desired standard in training and, when asked if the teenage striker could now feature in the matchday squad this weekend, explained: “I haven’t done the numbers yet. I always say that he is fit and he is training. He is training good and is trying everything.
“Obviously, if he has not been on the bench it is because I consider that he was not in that 18 players, but not because he’s not trying or not because he’s not good. [It’s] just because I have to try to pick the best ones and if he hasn’t been picked, it’s because I thought there were 18 better than him. Simple as that. Nothing against him, nothing personal, he has a great attitude and is a great lad.”
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