Dunfermline’s Matty Todd and Kane Ritchie-Hosler could be available for selection by James McPake this weekend.
The Pars make the trip to Greenock to take on Morton in the Scottish Championship on Friday night, with the match broadcast live on BBC Scotland.
McPake couldn’t say 100% that he would have both available but, as it stands, the fan favourites could be in contention for a return.
Todd has been missing since the Viaplay Cup win over Annan Athletic with an ankle injury he picked up in training.
Ritchie-Hosler also suffered an ankle injury and recovered to make a substitute appearance at Inverness before picking up an unrelated injury.
The duo’s return would be a boost to the squad after three consecutive defeats.
James McPake on Dunfermline duo’s ‘ups and downs’
“Hopefully they are both in the squad for Friday,” McPake said.
“That’s the plan at the minute but there’s still another day to go. We will see how they wake up tomorrow, I don’t want to jinx anything.
“The squad know that those two players are good and even in training, they make training better because of their levels.
“The two of them are still young kids, they will have ups and downs but having the two of them back in the group certainly helped.”
The news on Kyle Benedictus and Rhys Breen, who both went off injured in last weekend’s Fife derby defeat to Raith Rovers, is less clear.
McPake said tests were still taking place to assess the damage to the defenders.
Breen suffered a hamstring injury and Benedictus was substituted at half-time after making his return from a lengthy injury.
James McPake awaiting scan results
“It just seems that we are going through this time at the minute where we are picking up injury after injury,” said McPake.
“I think most managers would sit here in their pre-match press and say the same.
“It is disappointing but that’s what the squad is for – if they don’t make it. We are still waiting on opinions on scan reports coming back just to see the complete picture of how they both are.”
Whoever is available to the Pars boss, McPake is well aware of the threats Morton pose, despite a difficult start to the season for Dougie Imrie’s side.
The Pars won convincingly when the teams met at East End Park earlier in the season.
“They are a tough side to play against,” the Dunfermline manager said.
“But we will go down there and we will need to be at that level of performance similar to the Raith performance, and not similar to the two games before, if we want to come away with anything.”
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