Peterhead take on Queen’s Park at Balmoor this weekend and Blue Toon manager Jim McInally is set to shuffle his playing pack again due to injuries clearing up and other injuries emerging.
Jim said: “Andrew McDonald took part in a very intense training session on Tuesday and came through that okay so he will be good for Saturday. It also looks like Simon Ferry will be back as well as he did some light training earlier in the week and is set to train fully on Thursday night.”
“Alan Cook is also back in my plans.”
That was the end of the good news with Jim adding: “At the moment it looks very unlikely that Hamish Ritchie will be available and Russell McLean is very doubtful with an ankle problem.”
Attackers could be thin on the ground with Jim adding: “Niah Payne is feeling a thigh issue and did not train on Tuesday and Derek Lyle’s calf problem flared up at Dumbarton on Saturday and he is a major doubt as well.”
Gary Fraser, who impressed with his second half display as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with the Sons last weekend, is another who is struggling with a knock with Jim saying: “It is a crucial game for us and of course it would be great to go into it with a full squad. However as has been the case a few times this season we will concentrate on what we have as opposed to what we do not have.”
One player who could benefit from any absences is Jack Brown with Jim adding: “It has been hard to bench Jack for the last couple of games after his match-winning display against Falkirk recently.”
“He showed again on Saturday when he came on what a good player he is. He has an old head on young shoulders and rarely gives the ball away which is really important.”
“When you consider we took off Grant Savoury and Andrew McCarthy, who were really good at Clyde the week before, and did not hurt the team it shows how well Jack and Gary Fraser played when they came on.”
“We may be a few bodies short but we are not short of competition for a jersey.”
