Dunfermline’s injury woes have deepened after being told that five key players will be out for at least the next month.
The list is headed by skipper Kyle Benedictus, who is facing a lay-off of eight weeks or more with a thigh issue.
The former Dundee defender suffered the injury on his comeback against Ayr United following two months out.
Having also spent time out this season with a broken foot, Benedictus underwent a scan on Tuesday and was told the bad news a few hours later.
That followed on from Aaron Comrie’s test results showing the calf strain he sustained against Queen’s Park on Friday night would result in the full-back missing the next four to six weeks.
It has been a nightmare season for the Pars and recent days have just piled the misery on for manager James McPake.
Alex Jakubiak was also injured in the 2-1 loss to Queen’s Park at Hampden and the striker is expecting a month on the sidelines with his hamstring problem.
Midfielder Matty Todd is also out with a hamstring issue that will keep him out of action for another month.
And defender Rhys Breen is facing the same length of time out with a medial knee ligament injury picked up towards the end of the Fife derby defeat to Raith Rovers.
‘Massive blow for DAFC’
With Sam Fisher still struggling after sustaining a second concussion and facial injuries against Raith, it has been a costly New Year period for the Fifers.
McPake said: “Kyle had his scan on Tuesday and, unfortunately, it’s a bad one.
“The specialists have told us he’ll be out again for at least two months, which is obviously a massive blow for Kyle and for the club.
“He’s our captain and a huge influence on the squad, and he’s had a terrible time. But we’ll make sure he gets the right treatment.
“Aaron had a scan on his calf on Tuesday as well and we didn’t think it was looking too bad because it had reacted well.
“But it’s just our luck at the moment that we’ve been told he’ll need four to six weeks of recovery.
“Jak got scanned on Monday evening and he has a hamstring injury that’s probably going to keep him out for roughly a month.
“He knew at the time, you could see the stress he was in. He’s had a few of these before but he’s been fit for a fair chunk until now.
“Thankfully, it’s nothing too serious, in terms of the injuries he’s had before.
“Rhys has a problem with his medial ligament in his knee. It’s intact, but he’s going to be about a month as well.”
‘Pretty serious’
In a season of repeated injury blows, McPake needs to take any positives when he can.
And that has come with fears being dispelled that Todd would need an operation on his hamstring and an even lengthier lay-off.
He added: “Matty is pretty serious. He’ll be similar to Jak in being out for the next four weeks.
“He was about six weeks all-in from when the injury occurred and that’s been a couple of weeks.
“He doesn’t require surgery, which is a bonus. Where the tear is in the muscle it’s not affecting the tendon too much.
“So, if we’re looking for a positive then that’s a slight positive on that one.”
