SWINDON Town will be without striker Jonathan Obika for this weekend’s visit to Bristol Rovers.

The Town forward has not featured for the club since starting against Shrewsbury Town on January 7, with a hamstring injury keeping him sidelined.

Head coach Luke Williams has ruled out the 26-year-old, whose contract expires this summer with no sign of a new deal being agreed, from featuring at the Memorial Stadium this Saturday (12.30pm) but hopes he and Swindon right-back Bradley Barry will be back amongst the squad training soon.

“He is doing his rehabilitation and we are hoping that we’ll see him on the training pitch at least in the very near future,” said Williams, with Barry having also not played since the 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury.

“Bradley again is a way off at the moment and we were hoping that he might feature in the reserve team game, but he is not quite there yet so we’ll keep an eye on that one.”

Anton Rodgers is also a cause for concern ahead of the short trip down the M4, having picked up what is thought to be a bruised rib during a training incident.

However, Williams is confident that the central midfielder can play through the pain and be a part of the matchday squad.

“Anton Rodgers, he ran into someone at training and caught an elbow in the chest. It was completely accidental and just part of training,” he added.

“It looks as though it is bruised ribs but I don’t think it is anything that is going to stop him playing his part.

“He is tough enough to play through the barrier but we are concerned it has not eased off.

Meanwhile, Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill and Ellis Iandolo are some way off returning to the fold as they continue their recoveries, having returned to running last week.

“(They’re) getting closer,” said Williams.

“They’re on the training pitch, albeit not able to take part in full training. They’re there, they’re going through their physical work and they’re much more capable than they were a week ago.

“They were striking balls and working physically very hard, it’s only the twisting and turning element at the moment and the unpredictability of going into contact that is stopping them from completing full training at the moment.

“We’re looking back to getting them back into full training.”