Struggling Elgin City are poised to get a perfect shot in the arm with the return of key striker Kane Hester for their League Two basement showdown with Cowdenbeath.
The 26-year-old goal-grabber has been sidelined since mid-September with a hamstring injury, but after coming through his latest training session on Tuesday night, he should be ready to spearhead the attack against the Blue Brazil at Borough Briggs on Saturday.
Elgin, who are on a six-match winless run, were edged out 2-1 at second-placed Forfar Athletic last weekend, which came seven days after their 2-1 Scottish Cup replay exit at the hands of Clydebank, of the West of Scotland Premier Division.
Cowden, who last week appointed Maurice Ross as Gary Bollan’s replacement, lost 1-0 at home to runaway leaders Kelty Hearts and are just three points behind Elgin ahead of the weekend’s crunch clash.
Hester, who has scored 19 goals in each of the last two terms, got off to a cracking start to this season, netting seven times in all competitions before the middle of August. His last game was in a 2-0 defeat by Annan on September 18.
TICKETS for Saturdays match vs @CowdenbeathFC are available now here ⚽️https://t.co/w2Prdp9mWG pic.twitter.com/NPNb7nwRLK
— Elgin City F.C. (@ElginCityFC) November 10, 2021
Hester has been massive miss
Black and Whites boss Gavin Price can’t wait to have Hester back at such a key time when the team need a lift.
He said: “Kane trained on Tuesday and things are looking good and he should be involved this weekend.
“We’ve missed his goal threat. Our play last week for example was great up to a certain extent, but we didn’t have that goal threat. We’re lacking that at the moment.
“If you take a 20-goal-a-season striker out of any team, it will weaken it, so it will be good to have Kane back.”
Fans deserve winning display – boss
Price is determined to give the home fans reasons to leave Borough Briggs with smiles on their faces with a winning display against Cowden this weekend as they seek to pull away from ninth position.
He added: “We need to start performing for the fans.
“We’ve actually not had a great run of it in our last few home games, which is not like us. We want to get the result and get the buzz back at Borough Briggs.”
Price asked for a reaction to their Scottish Cup defeat by the Bankies and, by and large, he got that against in-form Forfar at Station Park.
Rory MacEwan cancelled out an Andy Munro header to ensure parity at the break, but the Loons clinched three points when substitute Grant Anderson scored with his first touch just before the hour.
Elgin pressed in search of a second equaliser, with Jaime Wilson and Archie MacPhee going close.
Price was encouraged that his players, on the back of their Scottish Cup heartache, pushed one of the division’s best teams all the way.
He said: “The result apart, we certainly performed well and went toe-to-toe with Forfar.
“It was always going to be a hard game away from home on paper, but I felt we deserved to get something from the game. We didn’t get it and sometimes it can be tough like that when you’re struggling for points like we are at the minute.
“In terms of the standard of play and our overall performances, I am pretty sure we will start picking up the points soon.”
