DUNFERMLINE stars Craig Wighton and Aaron Comrie are "doing well" in their injury recovery and a return before the season ends hasn't been ruled out.

Manager James McPake has reported that the duo are showing encouraging progress in their rehabilitation after it was initially thought both would miss the rest of the campaign.

Wighton underwent surgery last week for a "tidy up" on his knee, having been absent since the home defeat to Greenock Morton at the beginning of last month, whilst Comrie has been sidelined since a draw with this weekend's opponents, Arbroath, that was played two weeks later.

The full back suffered a medial ligament injury to his knee, but McPake said he is "flying" as he bids to regain fitness.

Dunfermline Press:

"Wighty had surgery last week and is doing great. He will be another three weeks maybe. Aaron is flying as well," the Pars gaffer said.

"We don’t see them too much, they just get on with their work and working really hard. The two of them are doing well.

"Craig's surgery was just a tidy up, a pretty simple procedure. He went in and got it done in Glasgow. He will be back hopefully by the end of the season and give us another option."

When asked if that was a positive, given it was first thought both wouldn't feature again this term, McPake replied: "It still might be.

"There is only a month really to go in terms of the official league so we will not curse it by saying that they will be back by the end of this season. They are progressing really well and, given the way the two of them work in the gym, I’m not surprised.

"Hopefully they don’t hit any wee bumps in the road on their way back, but they are doing well at the minute."

McPake, who saw Rhys Breen play 90 minutes for the reserves against Hamilton Academical on Tuesday, having been absent since early January, reported no fresh injury concerns for the trip to Arbroath on Saturday.

Ben Summers, who missed the win at Morton after being substituted in Dunfermline's previous game against Dundee United, trained today (Thursday) and will be monitored ahead of the match at Gayfield.