Cove Rangers pair Jamie Masson and Harry Milne will be looking at pre-season to make their comebacks from ankle injuries.
Both are ruled out for the rest of the season after what manager Paul Hartley describes as “freak” injuries, in that they have suffered similar blows without contact.
Milne was injured in training blocking a shot and Masson was stretchered off against Rangers while tracking back. Full-back Milne has had his operation while Masson’s surgery is this week.
Hartley said: “They were two freak injuries. It’s pretty much the same what they’ve done. Jamie is in for an operation this week.
“I feel for him and Harry. The balance and creativity they give us down the left-hand side will be a real miss for us. It’s up for others to come in and do a job there.
“Jamie will be about 12 weeks. You’ve got to take your time with it. It’s looking like pre-season, in July at some stage (for him coming back).
“It’s not too different from Harry’s. It’s very unfortunate. We’ve been fortunate in that we’d not had anything pretty bad, but we’ve had two in the last two weeks.”
The injuries come at a less-than-ideal time of the season for Cove, given their aspirations to challenge for promotion from League One. They are currently in the play-off places with two games before the split.
Milne and Masson have been the regular pairing down Cove’s left for the last three years, since the latter’s arrival from Formartine United in 2017.
Hartley added: “It’s really difficult for the players at this stage in the season. Sometimes you go through your career injury-free and some people pick up bad ones.
“They went to see the best people to get their operations. We’ll hopefully get them back and ready for pre-season, that’ll be the aim for those guys.”