Brechin City’s promotion bid is set to be boosted by the return of Alan Trouten.
The goalscoring midfielder was a substitute against Stirling Albion last week after recovering from broken ribs much earlier than expected.
Manager Ray McKinnon didn’t risk bringing him on, but after seeing the former Ayr United man in training this week, is ready to throw him back in against Dunfermline this afternoon.
“Alan’s looked brilliant in training,” McKinnon reported.
“We lost him for a long spell earlier in the season, and then we thought we might not have him available again when he broke his ribs.
“So it’s a big boost for us that he’s back.”
It’s win or bust for the Pars, who have only a slender chance of claiming the last play-off spot that is currently Brechin’s.
And according to McKinnon that will make the Fifers dangerous opponents.
“They have to go for it,” he pointed out. “And we need to be ready for that.
“It was the same last week against Stirling, who needed the win to give them a chance of staying up.”
Brechin have suffered more than any other team in the league through the concession of injury time goals, so it was a pleasant surprise to benefit from one last weekend at last.
McKinnon said: “It was a big three points because it was a game everybody expected us to win. It would have been a big blow if we hadn’t got that goal.
“It was sheer relief after the game and it sets us up nicely.
“I think we’ve lost about five injury time goals this season, so that was maybe some pay-back.”
Brechin will be without influential centre-back Gerry McLauchlan.