Tony Mowbray says everyone is doing all they can to ensure Rovers aren’t further impacted by coronavirus.

Bradley Johnson and Amari’i Bell were withdrawn from the squad against Reading on Tuesday night and are now both self-isolating after displaying Covid-19 symptoms.

The team will make the long trip to south Wales to face Swansea City this weekend on several coaches in order to minimise contact, while numbers have also been hit by injuries to several key players.

Joe Rothwell, himself only just back from a period of self-isolation, is struggling with a back spasm while Thomas Kaminski and Daniel Ayala, both groin, are the most recent additions to an unavailability list.

However, boss Mowbray believes his side, with just one win in their last five matches, have performed better than their results suggest, and is keen to ensure confidence remains high.

“I try and stay pretty calm with you but it’s really frustrating what’s developing at the moment and we have to get on with it,” he told the Lancashire Telegraph.

“We have to go and try and win football matches, but it’s very difficult for the players, difficult to get the balance right.

“Travelling five hours to Swansea you’re having to do it on several coaches because we do have some issues around the Covid situation around our football club.

“It’s about making sure we socially distance and make sure everything is done as efficiently as possible.

“The football isn’t taking a back seat, because that’s all I need to focus on because other people do the other stuff, but it has been difficult when you prepare a team and then you don’t have that team and people with different attributes have to try and do a job.”

Rovers will likely be without at least eight players who would otherwise be considered for a starting spot at the Liberty Stadium.

Mowbray admits there are no guarantees that the team he works on in training will take to the field at the Liberty Stadium having been hit by late withdrawals already this season.

He hopes in time the situation will ease, but feels it’s only getting worse as time goes on.

He added: “The reality is we are missing so many footballers that would undoubtedly be impacting our starting XI at the moment.

“I’m trying not to get too down on it, trying to keep believing that we’re a pretty good team and it’s only going to get stronger.

“It seems to be getting weaker, as another player falls foul, but let’s keep going. I think there’s so many positives about the way the team are functioning and I believe if we keep facing in the same direction we’ll get there in the end.”

Mowbray has confidence that his squad, boosted by their deadline business, will only get stronger and achieve the expectations that he has placed on them.

Football continues to be played without fans, and in a climate where there is uncertainty of what the future may hold, as while a Championship fixture is yet to be postponed because of Covid-19, games in League One and League Two have fallen by the wayside of late.

With no mandatory testing in the EFL, it’s an ever-evolving situation.

Mowbray added; “Who knows how long this thing is going to last and impact on football clubs?

“Is the season going to continue? How many players do you need to have unavailable before you decide enough is enough?

“All of those are questions. At the moment we’re living day by day and trying to get on with it and try and pick a team.

“Every time my phone beeps I’m praying it’s not the doctor telling me someone has phoned him up in the night and said they’ve got symptoms and can’t come in which has happened over the last week or so.

“Most teams have the same thing, but here we are in Lancashire where it feels like a hotbed and it’s  not missing our little patch either.”