Barry Robson has vowed to improve Raith Rovers’ injury record after Shaun Byrne became the latest to suffer a long-term absence.
The midfielder sustained ankle damage in a robust challenge during last Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Ayr United.
After waiting for the swelling to go down, tests have highlighted a tear in his ankle ligaments that it is anticipated will keep him sidelined for up to two months.
It was a significant blow during Robson’s debut match in charge, which began with Paul Hanlon pulling out in the warm-up and saw Liam Dick also limp off in the second-half.
Both have hip issues and neither have trained this week ahead of Sunday’s delayed trip to face Morton.
With uncertainty surrounding the availability of skipper Scott Brown (calf) and striker Jack Hamilton (ankle), who have both trained only once this week after lay-offs, Robson has been plunged into something of an injury crisis.
Fankaty Dabo, Lewis Vaughan and Callum Smith complete the players unavailable to the new boss, but Ross Matthews returns from suspension.
“Shaun Byrne is going to be a while,” said Robson. “Obviously, that wasn’t such a good one.
“Paul Hanlon and Liam Dick are making some progress just now, but they’ve not been on the training pitch, so we’ll have to wait and see.
‘Down to the bare bones’
“Scott Brown has trained one day, so we’ll see how he is. There’s not much guarantee on that one either.
“Jack Hamilton’s trained one day as well with an ankle injury. So, we’ve got to see how that reacts as well.
“So, we’re still pretty much down to the bare bones and just trying to get a team on the pitch that’s fit and ready to be able to run.”
He added: “I think that’s something we will get better at – trying to keep players fit.
“Obviously, at times you can get these knocks that can happen. But it’s something that I will look into as well, how we can keep the players fit.
“Because I think if you look at the game that finished at Ayr, we had maybe eight players that arguably could start who were not there.
“There’s not many teams in the world that can cope with that.”
Meanwhile, Cody David will this weekend be given a final opportunity to impress Robson ahead of his contract expiring next week.
The former Everton trainee arrived on a short-term deal in October and made his ninth appearance for Raith as a half-time substitute in the defeat to Ayr.
Impressed
“He is out of contract after this game,” revealed Robson. “So we’re speaking to Cody at the minute.
“He did very well when he came on last weekend. I thought he impressed, and he’s impressed well in training.
“So it’s something we’re in talks about at the minute.
“Sunday is a chance for me to have a look at him and him to have a look at us. So we’ll see.”
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