BLACKBURN Rovers could be left short on centre-back cover for tomorrow’s Championship match at home to QPR after Matt Kilgallon picked up an injury.

Kilgallon was due to make his first appearance under new Rovers boss Paul Lambert in Saturday’s ill-fated FA Cup clash at Newport County.

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But on the eve of the Rodney Parade encounter, which was called off an hour before kick-off because of a waterlogged pitch, he hurt his hip in training.

Lambert, speaking after the postponement, said: “Matt was going to play but he had a knock just after training on Friday.

“It’s in his hip, it’s giving him a bit of concern, so we’ll see how he feels.”

First choice centre-backs Shane Duffy and Grant Hanley would have started against Newport.

And while Tommy Spurr and Darragh Lenihan, who would also have been named in Lambert’s starting line-up, had played there in the past, 18-year-old Scott Wharton, who signed his first professional contract with the club in October, was drafted into the squad to act as back-up.

Left-back Spurr, striker Chris Brown and midfielders Lenihan and Chris Taylor were all set to be given a chance to impress their manager from the kick-off.

And Lambert, whose side follow tomorrow’s QPR game with a visit of Brighton & Hove Albion to Ewood Park on Saturday, said: “It’s really disappointing because people were going to play who haven’t been playing. I’m disappointed for those lads.

“I’ve only been here a short time and you want to run your eye over everybody and I’ve not had the opportunity to do it.”

Left-back Markus Olsson (ill) and midfielder Danny Guthrie (hamstring), along with Kilgallon and longer-term injury victims Fode Koita, Nathan Delfouneso and Jason Lowe, did not travel to south Wales.

But top-scorer Jordan Rhodes did after recovering from the ankle knock he sustained earlier in the week.