CORRY Evans returned to Rovers this week after being at the centre of the controversy surrounding Northern Ireland’s World Cup exit during the international break.

The midfielder was harshly penalised for handball in the first leg of Northern Ireland’s play-off defeat to Switzerland with the yellow card he was shown ruling him out of the second leg. Ricardo Rodriquez compounded the situation by scoring the penalty which proved to be the difference between the sides over two legs.

Evans stayed with the national squad for their second leg in Basel on Sunday where, despite a spirited performance, a 0-0 draw saw the Irish eliminated.

Now back at Rovers, Evans is suspended for tomorrow’s trip to Bury after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season in the FA Cup win over Barnet on November 4.

But boss Tony Mowbray insists that break from action could aid Evans’ cause in overcoming the difficulties of the past week.

Mowbray said: “He’s suspended for Bury so Tuesday night (at Oxford) is the first opportunity for him.

“That will give him time to bed himself back in. We wouldn’t know what it’s like emotionally for him, it’s potentially a once in a lifetime opportunity for him to go to a World Cup.

“For it to be taken away in such circumstances, not just the penalty but the fact that he didn’t have the opportunity to help in the second leg will have been really frustrating for him.

“Maybe if there’s a silver lining for us it won’t be that he’s taking that emotion on to the field straight away but can get in to training as he has done in the last few days and worked really hard and get himself ready for Tuesday and make an impact for us.”

Evans’ absence will see Richie Smallwood, who is back from suspension, Peter Whittingham and Rekeem Harper battle for places in the middle of the park.

With wingers Craig Conway and Harry Chapman sidelined with hamstring injuries, Mowbray admits he may have to look at different ways of playing with a lack of options out wide.

He added: “If that’s the problem then we have to maybe find a different way of doing things. We might end up playing wide strikers and an extra midfield player, we don’t have to play with wingers.

“You could play three at the back with wing-backs, you have to find a different way of doing things and hopefully we can while still being able to score goals and win games.”