Tony Mowbray isn’t worried about Rovers’ strike options despite Yuki Ohashi limping off against Sheffield United.
Ohashi pulled up while chasing a ball in behind the backline and Rovers played the rest of the tie without an out-and-out number nine. Dapo Afolayan was introduced off the bench and scored a stunning equaliser.
Mathias Jorgensen also picked up a hamstring injury against Middlesbrough and although the extent has not yet been confirmed, the Dane will not be involved against Queens Park Rangers this weekend.
That leaves Andri Gudjohnsen as the only obvious strike option and Mowbray didn’t want to risk the Iceland international - who has scored three goals in his first three games of the campaign - ahead of another important league game.
When asked if Rovers needed another striker through the door before the transfer deadline, the head coach replied: “Not really, I'm more than happy generally to play with three recognised strikers in the squad.
“At the moment, we've got two of them injured and we sort of protected the third one tonight - the one who's been scoring the goals for us.
“He didn't need to go on the pitch because we need him on Saturday, and hopefully he bangs another goal or two in at the weekend and we just carry on with some positive notes.”
Afolayan had to be patient for opportunities last season after joining from St Pauli in January, but he has started all four games so far this term and now has his first goal in blue and white.
“Dapo has got that in his boots,” said Mowbray. “He needs to see it more often, of course. He's a very confident individual and he's scored a great goal there.
“I said to them at half time, we’ve scored two goals and come from behind in every game. At 1-0 down, let's get the next goal, we'll go on and win it.
“Ultimately, it might be my fault, maybe we were too young, and yet a lot of the changes were forced changes.
“It was difficult at the death to change the team too much as they were bringing on O'Hare, Phillips and some pretty experienced footballers. Let's put the experience of this game behind us and move on to the next league match.”
The 28-year-old played in a more central role earlier in his career but has enjoyed his best spells, both in England and abroad, in the wide areas.
When asked if he is an option to support Gudjohnsen in attack until Jorgensen and Ohashi return, Mowbray insisted: “I think we've got loads of players who can play there, to be honest.
“I think Fevrier can play down the middle as well, I think Morishita can probably play down the middle, it doesn't really matter.
“I played a whole season at Sunderland without a centre forward. Just play three number 10s, all good footballers, all can score goals, all can bend them in the top corner and I don't sit here and make it a major issue in my mind.
“I think the more good footballers you've got on the pitch, the more you can control the game and at this moment we've got a centre forward who's hot in front of goal, so I don't sit here and worry about it.”
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