Easr Fife Mail...

FIFERS' INJURY CRISIS DEEPENS

EAST Fife manager Dave Baikie isn't getting carried away with his side's newly-found status as league leaders.
While he's pleasantly surprised it's come so soon, he is more concerned about mounting injury problems that are bedevilling the squad.
Despite a lengthening queue of players by the treatment table, the Fifers remain unbeaten in four games and have won three in a row — with a very interesting test to come this week against rejuvenated East Stirling.
However, Baikie is worried about the personnel crisis, having lost half a dozen players before the Elgin game — and Jamie McGowan's worsening achilles tendon trouble put him on the casualty list afterwards.
Sam Linton's place could also be in doubt after a two-footed challenge by an opponent left him with badly bruised shins, but Baikie is hoping he will be fit.
John Martin is likely to stay out after limping off against Arbroath, while uncertainty remains over keeper Iain Ross, who has been plagued by back problems.
Scott Crabbe is also still out, along with Paul Hampshire, Gary Kelly and Greig McDonald, although Paul Ritchie made a return to the side at Borough Briggs on Saturday.
"I am happy with the start we have made but I feel there's still a long way to go before we are where we want to be as a team," said Baikie
"I thought we were relatively poor in the first half on Saturday and seemed very lethargic, which was disappointing," he added.

Read more in this week's East Fife Mail

j smart linped out of training on monday and wed i heard, he's got a small fracture in his foot in which he picked up against arbroath, i noticed he was limping on sat, so if he is rulled out on fri trhen we are strugglung for defenders

maybe still time for a loan signing then.

J M trained last night