Adam Wharton’s groin injury is not serious – but the midfielder will not be involved against Queens Park Rangers.

Wharton was forced off early in the second half against Coventry in midweek, with Sondre Tronstad coming on in his place.

The highly rated 19-year-old has made 11 appearances in all competitions since the start of the campaign.

Aynsley Pears is also ruled out after picking up an ankle injury against Leicester last weekend. Leo Wahlstedt made his first league start for the club in midweek.

Niall Ennis was named on the bench against Coventry, but Jon Dahl Tomasson says the forward is not yet ready to start. Sam Gallagher also remains sidelined, while Ryan Hedges and Sam Barnes are long-term absentees.

“Of course, Sam Barnes is still out,” Tomasson explained. “Sam Gallager is out. We saw Ryan today coming back on his crutches. We saw Pears on his crutches. Harry Leonard is out.

“Adam Wharton, we all know his situation – going off at the game against Coventry. He will not be available. It is not serious and it won’t take a long time, so that is positive.

“I brought Niall Ennis to the game last time. It was probably very early to do that but we are stretched in some positions. He will not be able to start but he will be involved. The rest who played are okay.”

The Rovers boss admits he hates coming out on the losing side but felt his side didn’t deserve to leave Coventry empty-handed on Wednesday night.

“I hate losing,” he continued. “My players and the fans hate losing. I haven’t lost a lot in my life as a player and a manager.

“When you look at the games, which you have to do, football is a game where you don’t always get what you deserve. And sometimes you get what you don’t deserve.

“It is not black and white, it is the performance you need to look at and analyse like we are doing.

“We probably deserved a lot more, but it is difficult to say that when you don’t win the games. I think we played a good game.”

Rovers have now lost four successive games in the league, and Tomasson insists they must do better in the final third.

“This young team has a great togetherness, a great spirit and hunger to develop,” he explained.

“They have a hunger to win games and I think we saw that in the performance. The only thing I am not happy with is the result, like my players.

“Normally when you are building a winning team, you look at the performance and analyse each thing – ‘What are we doing well? What are we not doing well?’

“We are doing a lot of things very well but, of course, being clinical is one of the main things.”