PARS boss James McPake has said that the injured members of his squad are progressing well in their recovery as he prepares his side for today's clash with Greenock Morton.

Although he will still be without the likes of Aaron Comrie, Kyle Benedictus, Rhys Breen, Alex Jakubiak, Kane Ritchie-Hosler and Matty Todd, McPake provided a positive update on their progress.

"Comrie is end-stage (of his rehab). Comrie is doing really well," he said.

"He was down at training on Friday doing a fair chunk of the work. Aaron was good.

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"The others are coming on. Matty Todd is back running, Kane is running ... Kane will not veer much from however long we said, but it's good to see him back running. Bene is running, Jak's running - they're all running to a certain point. Breeny is probably the one at the back of that, he's doing early-stage runs, but Bene and Jak are fairly motoring along, touch wood.

"It was important, in terms of the new signings as well, they're good players but it just energies the squad a wee bit as well.


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"I think we need that with the injuries we'd picked up. It had a bearing on the squad, any squad in any league [it would have]. When you lose five/six key players, it's tough for the other ones in terms of them training every day, they need to play all the games. You're asking a lot of them.


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"We did say at the start of this window, we would look to try and help wherever we could. Those two positions is where we did need it. But in terms of numbers, we probably did in there as well.

"Midfield, we're OK at the minute, when you consider Hammy has played most of the season at centre-back. Ewan Otoo, the same. The two of them you would class as midfielders.

"With strengthening the back end of the pitch, that allows us the options of those two."

Centre back, Malachi Fagan-Walcott, could be in line for his home debut after impressing on his bow at Dundee United last weekend, whilst Brad Holmes and Xavier Benjamin could also make their first Pars appearances.

Forward Holmes arrived on Tuesday on loan from Blackpool, whilst centre back Benjamin, whose deal was completed on deadline day, joins Fagan-Walcott in signing on a temporary basis from Cardiff City.

"Brad's been great since he came up, he's had a few days with the group," McPake added.

"The two of them are settling in, I don't think it's a hard group to settle into, they're all just as crazy as each other.

"It's quite a good group to come into and both of them will be in the squad for Saturday."