| McCann is out for up to six weeks with a serious knee injury sustained against St Mirren and Mensing, also hurt in that game, looks like being absent when the Highland side visit.
Although Kevin Fotheringham and Kieran McAnespie are making progress as they return from long-term injury, they aren’t ready yet for first-team action, and Scott Paterson and Peter MacDonald are also still on the long-term injured list.
“We’re hit by injuries again, but must make sure we’re ready for this game,” said Saints’ player-boss Owen Coyle. “We have some big matches coming up and this is one of them.
“The players who turn out for us on Boxing Day will give everything and they’ll be well prepared.
“They’ll be in for training on Christmas Day. That’s one of the sacrifices they have to make as we face Ross County the next day.”
Brechin face Clyde at home with their injury list still fairly lengthy.
Paul Daas, Steven Ferguson and Steven Hamilton are all still out, though Gary Bollan returns to the squad having served his suspension.
Though still feeling wretched after the 6-0 mauling by Airdire last week, City manager Ian Campbell still reckons the margin between victory and defeat is a narrow one.
He said, “We're not far away. It’s not easy, but it’s up to me to fill the gaps and bring in the players we need.
“The Airdrie result was horrendous and I’m still deeply scarred by it.
“We should have been in front in the first half and we had three good chances in the second.
“We could have had five goals ourselves. But defensively we were dire, though we are stretched to the wire.
“At the end of the day, though, we have to stand up and take it on the chin because, embarrassed or not, there’s no one else to blame but ourselves.” |
