Having eight players unavailable for your next outing may sound like a crisis to most clubs however when that is a reduction of four it represents an improvement.
The Blue Toon head to Queen of the South on Saturday and Balmoor manager Jim McInally hoping that Jack Brown, Jack Wilkie, Ewan Murray and Christiano Kisuka will be in his squad to face the Doonhamers following injuries.
There is some further good news as Conor O’Keefe and Ryan Dow, who were both ill before facing Falkirk last weekend are now back to full fitness with David Wilson hopeful of shaking off the calf problem that forced him to leave the field against the Bairns.
Manager McInally said: “Jack Brown felt a tightness in his hamstring at the end of last week so we did not risk him aggravating a long-term injury. He is feeling a lot better so he could well be back on Saturday.”
“Jack and Ewan are both back training with their parent club Dundee, so they could be in my thoughts as well as could Chris.”
Andrew McDonald and Paul Dixon are unlikely to feature however they are viewed as short-term absentees with light at the end of the tunnel now being seen for Robbie McGale, who is back in light training after dislocating his shoulder, and Andrew McCarthy as well as Russell McLean who are making their way back to fitness from injuries that kept them out all season.
Hamish Ritchie and Ola Adeyemo both remain out with a date for the return of either player to training not set.
Jim added: “The paperwork for Enock Walusimbi is still not fully in place but it is coming and we know that we will get Loran Venrooy in January now. It is slightly ironic that the squad I have just now is probably the biggest I have had at Balmoor however we have not been able to have a full bench but hopefully that will change soon.”
