Craig Wighton insists the Dunfermline players will rally around stricken team-mate Kane Ritchie-Hosler with the winger facing another lengthy lay off.
Former Rangers trainee Ritchie-Holsler was forced off in the second half of Tuesday’s 3-0 victory over Arbroath after dislocating his shoulder
After falling awkwardly, the 21-year-old received treatment on the pitch for seven minutes before being taken off on a stretcher.
Sam Fisher and Owen Moffat also hobbled off after the break in a game that came at a cost for Pars boss James McPake.
The injury to Ritchie-Hosler was particularly sad to see with the player having been restricted to only five appearances this season after undergoing separate ankle and knee operations.
Wighton – the scorer of two goals against the Red Lichties as Dunfermline climbed into the Championship top four – said: “Sometimes that happens in football, it’s one thing after another.
“We’re gutted for him. He’s such a big player for us and we saw the impact he had last year, so we’re gutted with that.
“We’re disappointed for him, it doesn’t look great.
“It’s a very close group so we’ll be there for him, whatever he needs.
“I’m gutted for him because he looked good, he’s looked sharp in training, but these happen in football.
“He’ll be back, he’s too good a player to let things like that bother him. He’ll be back better than ever.
“I think every one of the injuries has just been from nothing really. Even again the other night it didn’t look like there was much in it, and we thought he was fine at the side, and then they obviously called for a stretcher.
“Gutted for him, but he’s come back from the other two injuries. Obviously he’s not been able to last too long and he’s got another one.
“Hopefully this will be his last one and he can help us towards the end of the season.”
Dunfermline will be looking to build momentum from this win after climbing up to fourth with what was only their second league victory from seven outings.
The Pars host Queen’s Park this weekend.
Wighton added: “We seem to have a good result this year and we’ve not quite been able to back it up, so Saturday’s massive, if we can go and do that.
“We’re delighted to be back up to fourth but we want to keep kicking on and looking up the way.”
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