Such is the scale of walking wounded in the Dundee dressing room that it is resembling a set of a TV medical drama.
“Obviously, after Dunfermline won in midweek, we are back in second place in the league table. But we will just continue to take care of ourselves, concentrate on our own matches and not worry about what the opposition are doing elsewhere.
“It is a really tense situation but it definitely keeps you on your toes.
“Dundee played really well against us the last time we faced them and are on an incredible unbeaten run.
“But all these runs have to end some time and we are determined we will be the side to do it.”
Dundee do not have their troubles to seek but Raith boss John McGlynn pointed out that he also has key players missing.
“Dundee may have problems but we have also have Stephen Simmons suspended and have Laurie Ellis and Iain Williamson out injured, so we all have difficulties to contend with,” he said.
Craig McKeown is one of the Dark Blues’ players who have broken through the pain barrier in a bid to try to secure the club’s first division status.
He has plenty of company, with manager Barry Smith’s squad as threadbare as it has ever been going into today’s game against Raith Rovers at Stark’s Park.
The usual selection problems have been added to by the suspensions being served this afternoon by Craig Forsyth and Nicky Riley.
“The spirit here is as high as it could be under the circumstances,” said McKeown. “Myself included, there are a few boys carrying knocks and we are up against it numbers-wise.
“Indeed, it is like an episode of MASH or Casualty in there. It is a case of taking anti-inflammatories and dealing with it. That is the diagnosis for now.
“Once we are safe then maybe we can leave one or two boys out but, for now, we have to keep soldiering on.”
Dundee have yet to be beaten by Rovers this season, having recorded one draw and two wins over the Kirkcaldy men. But McKeown doesn’t think that will influence things today.
“The results in the past count for nothing even though we have done well against Raith,” he said. “They are a good, hard-working side and have players who can cause you problems too.
“They are still trying to win the league so they will be right up for it, so we will have to be on our game to get a positive result.
“We will be going all out to keep our run going and to try to get as high up the table as we can.”
McKeown’s boss Smith will have to throw some youth players into the first division deep end today but he is confident that the youngsters can seize the chance to show what they are capable of.
“We will have to go with young boys who are untried at this level and we will have to be wary of that,” said Smith.
“However, it is a great opportunity for them not many players will play in the first team at the age they are at.
“There is no pressure on them so it is up to them to grab their chance.”Raith defenderMeanwhile, Raith Rovers’ Craig Wilson is full of admiration for Dundee’s incredible 23-game unbeaten run in the league but he is determined it will end today.
Wilson and the rest of his team-mates were deposed at the top of the first division on Tuesday night after Dunfermline beat Ross County to go two points ahead of their Fife rivals, albeit having now played one game more.
Rovers lost last Saturday at Falkirk and know they can ill afford any more slip-ups if their promotion dream is to be realised. However, the performance against the Bairns has given Wilson hope that they can get back on the winning trail this afternoon.
“The first 45 minutes at the Falkirk Stadium in particular was the best we have played all season,” he said.
“We absolutely battered them and on another day, we could have had four or five goals if we had converted all our chances. It is now up to all of us to take that level of performance which we gave at Falkirk into our game against Dundee.
Continued…