Cove Rangers defender Ryan Strachan has revealed his fitness frustrations as he continues to deal with a long-term Achilles problem.
It is something he has had to manage for a while but following the victory over Falkirk, it has flared up again.
Strachan had come back into the side after recovering from a minor calf tear suffered in the Scottish Cup game with Hibernian, but is now a doubt for the trip to Alloa Athletic on Saturday.
He understandably wants to get to the bottom of the issue and feels he may have to manage his workload more carefully, to ensure he is available for Saturdays.
Strachan said: “It just keeps setting me back. I’ve never really got to the bottom of the problem.
“My season has been a bit stop-start in terms of when I’m available, which is not ideal for me or the manager, to have a player like that.
“It’s quite random how it flares up and it’s load-dependent. I had not been playing then went into an intense game situation on Saturday and it flares up again.
“Whether it’s a specialist programme or something else, I definitely need to manage my training schedule as it seems to be the more I do, the worse I feel.
“I think the amount of training and games I have amassed, being 31, is quite high. It is difficult working, being a parent, training and finding time to rest and recover as well.
“Nobody knows your body like yourself so I need to do what I can to be in the best shape possible for a Saturday.”
Close friend and long-time team-mate Rory McAllister, who is 34, spoke earlier in the season of his need to manage his body better away from games, to ensure he is in a position to contribute.
Cove remain five points clear at the top of League One, on the back of the 2-0 win over Falkirk at the weekend. It is looking increasingly like being between them and Airdrieonians for the title, given Montrose and Queen’s Park have dropped off the pace.
They also have the small matter of an SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final against Queen of the South on Tuesday night, with the winner advancing to face either Kilmarnock or Raith Rovers in the final at the start of April.
The pressure of fighting on two fronts has been embraced by Cove and their players, with big games aplenty around the corner.
Strachan said: “It’s a big week. We set a goal of not losing any points in February and we have been unbeaten so far.
“We’ll look at Saturday as the main priority but I’m sure the manager will have an eye on the semi-final, as it’s the first chance for the club to get into a cup final.
“It (the pressure) is what we play for. Every time things get more challenging for us, we seem to do well. Hopefully we can reward the fans with a cup final.”
The club and its players have traditionally responded well from setbacks.
Cove missed out on the Highland League title on goal-difference in 2017 but won the championship outright the following season.
When they were denied promotion to the SPFL in controversial circumstances in 2018, they went one better a year later and swept aside Berwick Rangers to join the senior leagues.
They were beaten play-off semi-finalists last year against Airdrieonians and after a slow start, they have largely been in control of League One during the 2021-22 campaign.
Strachan added: “We’ve not had many setbacks but when we do, we seem to use it as ammunition for the next week, or the next seasons.
“If we’d not had the shortened season last year we would have been closer to winning the league. But we have used that as ammunition this season.”