Dunfermline defender Euan Murray is poised to make his long-awaited comeback after four months out.
The summer signing from Raith Rovers suffered a worrying neck injury in the 1-1 draw with Queen of the South back in August in only his third game for the club.
The 25-year-old needed lengthy treatment after falling awkwardly on the Palmerston pitch and was sent immediately for hospital tests.
The former Motherwell player was diagnosed with disc and nerve problems in his spine and was told he would need at least eight weeks on the sidelines.
Following more than double that timeframe, Murray finally seems ready for a return after playing for an hour in a bounce game earlier this week.
Former Rangers defender Tom Lang also featured after making it back onto the bench in recent weeks following over three months out with a troublesome thigh injury.
And Danny Devine, who had to sit out Saturday’s disappointing 3-1 defeat to Alloa after picking up a knock in training last Friday, is also expected to be available for the visit of Ayr United on Saturday.
Manager Stevie Crawford said: “We have competition for places.
“We had a bounce game on Monday, which Euan Murray and Tom Lang have managed to come through.
“I know Tom has been on the bench due to circumstances, which was probably not fair to him in terms of where he is with his match fitness, but the pleasing thing was that they both completed 60 minutes.
“It is not a case of trying to accommodating those returning to fitness, it is picking the best 11 and making the right substitutions that allow you to win a game of football.
“We are on a run where it is not good enough and we have got to put out what we think is the best 11 or 18 to allow us to beat Ayr United.”
