It looks like Dundee manager Barry Smith’s worst fear of having only one recognised striker available to him for the visit of Hamilton on Saturday will come to pass.
The Dark Blues failed in a bid to recall teenager Leighton McIntosh from the Scotland under-19s earlier in the week after it became clear that fellow forwards Jake Hyde and Graham Bayne were struggling to shake off injuries.
Bayne hasn’t been able to train all week, while Hyde had to cut short a comeback session on Thursday.
That leaves the prospect of Steven Milne playing as a lone frontman, or the former St Johnstone player being joined by a stand-in striker.
Smith said: ”Jake had to pull out of training with his knee and Bayney’s not going to make it because of his ankle.
”It leaves me with just one striker, which is what I feared might happen. But it’s just something we’ve got to cope with and I’ve got faith in whoever comes in to do a job.”
Dundee are back at Dens Park after a run of away matches.
He said: ”We’ve had no fewer than eight away games so far this season it will be nice to run out at Dens again and hopefully get everyone behind us.”
Meanwhile, Smith was delighted to see two of his league rivals Falkirk and Ayr United claim SPL scalps in midweek.
He said: ”It’s great for the First Division and it shows our division is a decent standard. It’s a really positive thing that two First Division clubs and a Second Division side have got through to the next round.”