91Èȱ¬

League Two strugglers Bristol Rovers have signed striker Steven Gillespie on a deal until the end of the season.

The 28-year-old, who was released by Fleetwood Town at the end of January, will help to plug the gap left by Ryan Brunt's season-ending knee injury.

"I've worked with Steven before at Colchester and Cheltenham," manager John Ward told 91Èȱ¬ Radio Bristol.

"He's got goals in him. With us needing a goal or two, he became a good find for me to come down and play."

Ward continued: "He had an offer from another club but chose to come to us and he should be available for Saturday [against Oxford]."

Gillespie, who had a spell with Bristol City early in his career, was one of Fleetwood's first signings following their promotion to the Football League in the summer of 2012.

But his first-team opportunities became limited at Highbury after Graham Alexander replaced Micky Mellon as manager and, along with Shaun Beeley, Alex Titchiner and Ryan Crowther,

"It's been an unusual 18-month period," said the ex-Liverpool trainee. "I got to play a month at Cheltenham [on loan] which I really enjoyed. I'm looking forward to some first-team football."