Corry Evans is in danger of missing the rest of the season with a broken toe, delivering an ‘enormous blow’ to manager Tony Mowbray.

Evans missed the defeat to Wigan Athletic with the injury that although picked up in the win over Bristol City, wasn’t picked up until he underwent an X-ray last week.

The midfielder is only just back from a fractured skull and broken nose that had ruled him out for five months before his man-of-them-match display against the Robins.

But Mowbray revealed the Northern Ireland international could be out for a ‘considerable period of time’ – while Joe Rankin-Costello is also expected to miss Rovers’ upcoming matches with a hamstring problem.  

Late goals from Lee Evans and Michael Jacobs condemned Rovers to defeat at Wigan, but the injury news delivered by the manager after the final whistle was just as big a blow. 

“Corry has fractured his big toe. It felt sore, and after an X-ray he’s got a fractured toe and that will keep him out for a considerable time,” Mowbray said.

“It’s an enormous blow for Corry first and foremost, and for the team.

“He’s an important player for our team.

“When Corry is at his best and on top of his game he’s a top player at this level of football. He’s a big loss for us.

“He can bring intensity to the pressing off the ball and getting the ball back and the crispness of his passing brings a lot to our team.”

Rankin-Costello had started the Bristol City defeat but was forced off in the latter stages with a hamstring injury.

The 20-year-old, making just his third Championship start, had been filling in at left back with Amari’i Bell and Derrick Williams out.

Rovers’ full back issues were eased at the weekend with the return of Ryan Nyambe from a dead leg which allowed captain Elliott Bennett to switch to the left.

And he could be forced to continue in that role at Barnsley with Academy graduate Rankin-Costello set for a period on the sidelines.

Mowbray added: “Rankin-Costello, hamstring, is it one week, three week, four weeks We’ll wait and see,” Mowbray said.

“The diagnosis is that he will probably be two or three weeks, but that will be five or six games.

“I can’t sit in front of the cameras and moan about injuries, every team will suffer from them in the next four weeks. We’ll have to get on with it, try and pick a team for the next game and if we can get three points at Barnsley it won’t be so bad.

“There’s still lots to play for, but it hurts because we saw this as a real opportunity. We know Wigan are a good team, we know they’re top of the form table, but we felt we could come here and get the points and we’re left frustrated.

“We’ll move on to Tuesday night.”