Andy back in, Russell and Robbie edge closer and no risk approach taken for Ryan
Peterhead’s Players’ Player of the Season from their last campaign, Andrew McCarthy, will take part in full training tonight for the first time since competitive action began back in July.
The midfielder suffered an ankle injury following a challenge from former team-mate Josh Mulligan in a pre-season game with Dundee and after a couple of false starts the 24-year-old will be involved fully tonight.
Blue Toon manager Jim McInally said: “Andy was a big player for us last season and I look forward to him making an impact in this campaign as well. His injury took a while to settle down however he is over it now, in fact he would have been back training last week however he was ill last Monday and we decided not to take any chances with him.”
“He did a lot of pre-season work so that will help him as he looks to get back to full fitness and when we see him on the pitch again will be determined by what we see in training.”
Another long-term absentee, Russell McLean who found the net 15 times last season, will step things up tonight in training as well following the knee surgery he underwent recently.
McLean will join up with Robbie McGale, who dislocated a shoulder last month, in non-contact work with Jim saying: “Russell and Robbie have done some light running in the past couple of weeks however they will start working harder with the physio from now. They will do a lot of work however it is too early for them to do any contact work but that will come.”
Ryan Strachan who missed out against Queen of the South on Saturday will miss training tonight however he could return against Alloa this weekend with the Balmoor boss adding: “Ryan’s hamstring still has some tightness in it so we will not risk him. He has shown his fitness levels are high in recent weeks so hopefully he will see this problem off quickly.”
