Rovers defender Derrick Williams will serve a two match ban

The Rovers defender, restored to the starting line-up for Sunday’s game against Middlesbrough, was dismissed on the stroke of half time for bringing down Ashley Fletcher.

Although being given a straight red card for denying a goalscoring opportunity carries a suspension of one game, that has been doubled because it is the second time this season the Republic of Ireland international has been dismissed.

Williams was given his marching orders in the Carabao Cup third round defeat to Bournemouth in September for deliberate handball, the second red card of his career, and handed a one-match ban.

Williams will now miss away games at Birmingham City and Rotherham United, a blow to boss Tony Mowbray whose defensive options are already depleted with Darragh Lenihan out injured for up to eight weeks with a knee problem.

On referee Darren Bond’s decision to send off the 26-year-old, Mowbray said: “I haven’t seen it back, but their striker was clear of the last defender.

“It was ridiculous, we had a free header and it’s come off our defender’s header and towards his own goal and the boy is through.

“It wasn’t a great bit of play from them, it was a long ball forward that we headed on.

“It was uncharacteristic. The referee had a decision to make, he was last man.

“It was similar to the Danny Graham one late in the game when he’s through on the wrong side of their defender and running through on goal, but Danny has stayed on his feet and tried to stick it in the net.

“It would have been interesting what would have happened in that situation had Danny gone down.”