Hanlan in with a shout of making FA Cup tie against Darlington
PAUL Tisdale is hopeful top scorer Brandon Hanlan will be fit for Bristol Rovers’ FA Cup game with Darlington on Sunday.
The 23-year-old has scored five goals since a summer move from Gillingham, but he was absent for Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Wigan Athletic due to a sore ankle.
Gas boss Tisdale told reporters yesterday he is optimistic Hanlan will play a part in the second-round tie with the National League North side at the Memorial Stadium.
“He’s close,” the manager said. “We’re still three days away from that game, so plenty of time to make improvements.
“He’s not going to be out long, it’s not going to be a long injury, but in a way the fact it’s a Sunday game gives him one extra day to recover, so I’m optimistic. I’ve got fingers crossed he will be fit.”
The Gas, who played without a recognised striker at the DW Stadium, will have James Daly available after shaking off a concussion, and summer signing Jonah Ayunga should be available sooner rather than later.
A hamstring tear has kept the former Havant & Waterlooville striker out of action since late September, but Tisdale delivered a promising update on his recovery.
“We’re hoping he will be back within seven days for training,” said Tisdale. “There’s obviously different steps to returning from an injury, and the longer you’re out the more there are to coming back.
“The fact he has been out for quite a while means he has to bridge doing nothing into full
action. We’re at that point now where he’s out running on the grass, he’s replicating all the things he needs to do but it’s all in a very controlled environment and before he plays he’ll need to go through a series of training sessions – maybe a week’s worth of random-type competitive football on the training ground.
“That will start in about a week’s time.”
Alex Rodman is another longterm absentee for Rovers after suf
fering an illness in pre-season which affected his balance and instigated bouts of vertigo.
He is training individually at The Quarters and Tisdale says the 33-year-old is “not that far away” from a return to action, but Sunday’s game will come too soon.
Although Rovers pay three levels higher in League One, Darlington’s victory at Swindon Town in the last round was a sufficient warning that it could be a tricky tie for the Pirates to negotiate.