TONY Mowbray says Rovers won't rush Scott Wharton back to action after the centrral defender sat out the Checkatrade Trophy loss to Bury.

Wharton is back in full training following two separate ankle injuries suffered in the opening months of the season and watched Tuesday’s defeat to the Shakers from the stands.

The 20-year-old is yet to feature in a matchday squad this season, but Mowbray says there is no point rushing the Salesbury-born defender back too soon.

He could get some game-time with the Under-23s in the coming weeks, possibly in Monday’s Premier League 2 Cup clash with Cardiff City at Leyland, but more likely game at Brighton on October 16.

Craig Conway, Rekeem Harper, Ben Gladwin and Ryan Nyambe all made their respective injury comebacks in the Checkatrade Trophy tie which leaves Darragh Lenihan (ankle) as the only absentee.

Mowbray said: “Wharton has trained for a while now but between us we felt that he needed another week of training before he gets a game.

“There is no urgency, so longer term we’re getting there, just Darragh.

“There’s one or two knocks from the last league game which we will look at but we hope they will be available for 10 days’ time.”

Mowbray will hope to have a near fully fit squad to choose from when Rovers travel to Oldham for their next league game on October 14.

And he is confident that his side can continue their improved form against the Latics who are also without a game this weekend.

“I don’t think the break is relevant really,” Mowbray added.

“It is good to have such a build up to a game, you can study them, you can set up right, make a really concerted decision on how you’re going to play in a game.

“Sometimes when you play Saturday and Tuesday it can be really difficult to prepare the team because you only have one day of preparation on a Monday.

“You can bring them in on a Sunday and cool them down, get them rolling around on mats doing some stretches or swimming in a pool, but you only really have one day to do some work on the organisation and the shape.

“I feel confident that the team can win games in this division and we have to respect every opposition and the preparation for Oldham will be just as it was for Bradford, Rochdale and Scunthorpe and we will keep going.”