Tony Mowbray revealed he contemplated replacing Adam Armstrong at half time of Rovers’ midweek defeat at Reading.

Armstrong was struggling with tight hamstrings during the game as Rovers went a seventh match without a win as Reading edged the Madejski Stadium encounter 1-0.

The 24-year-old started a 32nd Championship match for Rovers, the most of any player, missing just one match because of a similar issue in October.

While there were no visible signs of injury during the game, Mowbray revealed the club’s top scorer had tightness in his hamstring which made him consider a change.

In the end, Rovers opted to keep their 20-goal top scorer on the pitch in the search for an equaliser, Armstrong going close to doing that in injury time when he hooked an effort just wide of the near post from a Barry Douglas cross.

The Leeds United loanee was one of two players who dropped to the bench against Reading, with Amari’i Bell preferred at left back, while Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tom Trybull earned recalls.

Mowbray says he will rotate his full backs because of the work they have got through in matches, and that Armstrong would be monitored ahead of this weekend’s trip to Millwall.

The manager said: “Armstrong almost came off at half time because his hamstrings are really sore.

“We have to decide whether we’re going to give him a breather to stop him breaking down.

“They’re all dilemmas for us and as I’ve talked about the full backs they need to be adjusted and changed because of their work ethic and the meterage of high speed running. We need to keep going though and see if the luck can change.”