James McPake said Dunfermline will be cautious with Sam Fisher’s recovery after a nasty facial injury.
The defender was replaced in the first half of Tuesday’s Fife derby after team-mate Chris Hamilton caught him on the nose with his boot.
It left Fisher with a concussion – his second in a few weeks – and requiring a trip to the hospital for multiple fractures to his nose and seven stitches below his eye.
The Dunfermline boss said this is the “worst” series of injuries he has witnessed as a player, coach or manager.
“[Sam has] got multiple fractures to his nose and seven or eight stitches were required just below his eye,” said McPake. “In terms of that, we’re lucky.
“I think the fact that he had the concussion, he was only back a week after the initial concussion. Albeit, it was a couple of weeks ago.
“That’s two concussions now in the space of three weeks, so we just need to be very careful with that.
“He seems OK, he’s comfortable enough, he’s speaking away. We just have to be very careful with it.”
James McPake ‘I was no stranger to injuries’
Rhys Breen will also miss Friday’s trip to Queen’s Park after he picked up a knee injury in Tuesday’s Fife derby.
McPake revealed that some of his Dunfermline stars have been playing through the pain barrier recently amid the worst spate of injuries he has known.
“It’s the worst period I can remember in terms of even being a player.
“I was no stranger to injuries, so I spent a fair bit of time in the treatment room. But I can never remember a [period] like this.”
Hamilton, who has captained the Pars recently in the absence of the injured Kyle Benedictus, recently refused surgery to continue playing.
Michael O’Halloran was a used substitute despite carrying a slight injury picked up the week before and a couple of other unnamed available players are also carrying knocks.
Meanwhile, Lewis McCann is “flying” in training but will not be available until next week.
Long-term absentees Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Andrew Tod remain sidelines and midfielder Matty Todd will see a specialist on Thursday about a hamstring issue.
Dunfermline players ‘giving their all’
McPake added: “Players are certainly giving all they can, the ones that can.
“In terms of the group and the togetherness, you’re looking and there isn’t many changes, but people are playing out of position and doing everything they can for the team and I’m proud of that.”
Conversation