Fleetwood Town midfielder remains an injury doubt for Bristol Rovers encounter

The in-form midfielder did not emerge from the bench until the 65th minute of the 3-2, Boxing Day win at Rochdale.

He turned the game immediately as his shot went in off Dale’s Aaron Wilbraham for Town’s second equaliser.

Fleetwood head coach Joey Barton said: “Demps was touch and go.

“He pulled out of training Christmas Eve because he was in so much pain.

“It’s just bruising and needs a week’s rest. We didn’t want to play Kyle from the start and have to substitute him five or 10 minutes in, and the way the game went, it looked like the right call.

“Kyle has been superb for us and one of the first names on the teamsheet, so he was a big loss from the starting 11.

“But we knew Biggo (Harrison Biggins, one of three changes from the side that drew at Rotherham) would come in and give us a shift.

“And if Kyle could give us some minutes and Wes (Burns) at the back end of the game, it makes you look like a genius as a manager but I didn’t see the game panning out the way it did.

“But I asked Santa for three points on Boxing Day and he’s given them to me.”