Brandon Aguilera, Grant Ward, Luke McCormick: Bristol Rovers injury latest ahead of Port Vale

Brandon Aguilera is embarking on a 5,500-mile trip to ensure his readiness for Bristol Rovers’ League One match against Port Vale on Good Friday following his participation for Costa Rica in a friendly match against Argentina.

On loan from Nottingham Forest, Aguilera featured for 68 minutes for Costa Rica in Los Angeles on Tuesday in a 3-1 defeat against the reigning world champions. The goals came from Angel Di Maria, Alexis Mac Allister, and Lautaro Martinez.

The 20-year-old is set to arrive at Heathrow late on Thursday, where Rovers will arrange an Uber to take him to the team hotel near Stoke-on-Trent, with the game kicking off at 3 pm on Friday. Rovers’ manager, Matt Taylor, will have to wait until Aguilera joins the squad to assess his condition and decide on his playing time.

Although Aguilera’s game time with Costa Rica has helped maintain his sharpness during the international break after recovering from a hamstring injury, the strenuous 13-hour journey and its likely impact on his physical condition may limit him to a spot on the bench.

 

 

Taylor expressed, “It’s a peculiar situation. Brandon is expected to return late on Thursday, so we need to figure out a way to transport him from Heathrow to Port Vale if his flight is on schedule.

“With air travel, there’s always the possibility of delays, issues, or fatigue creeping in. I’ll have a conversation with him on Friday morning. It would be fantastic to have him ready to play a role. The specifics of his involvement on Friday are still uncertain.

“Nevertheless, it’s a positive that he gained valuable playing time unharmed following his recent injury and had the opportunity to compete against Argentina. Going from Argentina to Port Vale is quite the change!”

During the international break, the team had the chance to recuperate both mentally and physically following their crushing 5-0 defeat by Lincoln City in their last game.

Luca Hoole and Jed Ward have rejoined the team after representing Wales Under-21 and England Under-20 respectively, but there are concerns about defender Elkan Baggott’s availability after he pulled out of the Indonesia squad.

Luke McCormick has resumed full training and could be in consideration for selection, while Luke Thomas is back on the field, although the upcoming Easter weekend might be too soon for him to feature.

Midfielder Grant Ward is set to potentially start for the first time since January 6. He has recovered from a minor injury that kept him out of the Lincoln game, which initially appeared to have been resolved during the previous match against Fleetwood Town.

“Grant Ward has recovered from the issue that sidelined him against Lincoln,” Taylor remarked. “He has had a few more days of training, so hopefully he will be in contention. The problem has settled down. Although we did not view it as severe initially, based on Grant’s history and the medical staff’s experience, we chose to rest him for that weekend.”

“You ideally want all players accessible whenever needed, but it was a disappointing setback as he had just made his return. Both the team and the fans were looking forward to his comeback, anticipating more playing time and minutes, only to have him suddenly unavailable once again.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Jordan Rossiter, who has been sidelined since December 2022 due to a series of knee problems and is nearing the end of his contract, continues to train at The Quarters with the hope of potentially featuring before the season concludes.

Due to his prolonged absence, Taylor refrained from setting a specific timeline on Rossiter’s return to action in the team’s blue and white colors, but there appears to be a sense of optimism.

Taylor explained, “There’s no pressure on Jordan. He’s actively participating in daily training with the squad, gradually improving himself after such a lengthy layoff. Although there are some concerns regarding his knee in terms of agility and sharp movements, he is making notable progress every day.”

Regarding the possibility of Rossiter making a comeback before the season ends, Taylor expressed uncertainty, stating, “I can’t definitively say if we’ll see him on the pitch again before the season concludes. It would be beneficial if we could arrange a reserve match or involve him in an 11 vs 11 situation to aid his transition back to full fitness, although this won’t happen in the next week or two. With limited time remaining in the season, it’s a tight window.”

“I must say, he is a fantastic individual to collaborate with. He prioritizes the important aspects of football and his prolonged absence has definitely been felt at this club. It’s incredibly rewarding to have him back on the field, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to observe him up close and cooperate with him.”