Raith Rovers have been delivered a major blow with the news that influential midfielder Iain Davidson will be out for two months.
Davidson was taken off just before half-time during Rovers’ 1-0 win over Falkirk on Saturday suffering from a knee injury.
As he prepared for tonight’s Ramsdens Cup game against Ayr United at Morton’s Cappielow, manager John McGlynn confirmed, “Iain has damaged the medial ligament in his knee so will be out for up to eight weeks. That is a huge blow to both the player and the club.”
Tonight will see Davidson’s replacement on Saturday the on-loan Hearts man Danny Thomson stay in position as Raith try to get past the Honest Men and into the last eight.
McGlynn will be asking for a brighter opening from his team than they produced against Falkirk in their league curtain-raiser.
He said, “I will be looking for a sharper start, that goes without saying.
The match is being played in Greenock because of work on the floodlights at Somerset Park.ChangeBut McGlynn said, “The players won’t bother where the game is and, if anything, the change could benefit us as Ayr might miss not being at home.”
Raith striker John Baird holds a winner’s medal from the Challenge Cup competition from his days as a St Mirren player but he wants to get a more meaningful one this season, as he did not get stripped for action in the game that he has his gong for.
He said, “St Mirren made it to the final in November 2005 and I had played in every round but was not picked for the final. I was the 17th man but Mark Reilly came up and gave me his medal after we had defeated Hamilton Accies 2-1.
“He had a Scottish Cup winner’s medal and felt I should have the Challenge Cup one for what I had done earlier in the tournament, which spoke volumes for him.”
Baird is out to get a medal through his own efforts this season, adding, “We are determined to have a good run in this competition after going out early last season.
“Despite what happened with St Mirren I really like this competition. I joined Airdrie United just after they had won it in 2008 and the players there talked about it all the time.”
Ayr defender Jonathan Tiffoney will make his first start of the season and other players who have been on the fringes of first team so far like Gareth Wardlaw, Gareth Armstrong and Roddy Patterson are also in line to feature.
Trialist Stephen Stirling cannot be included unless a permanent deal is completed before kick-off.