Elgin City boss Allan Hale provides update on long-term injury duo

Elgin City manager Allan Hale won’t rush two long-term absentees back into action – but knows the duo will make his team stronger when they return.

A broken metatarsal has sidelined ex-Stranraer defender Kyle Girvan, 24, since the first leg of the League One play-off final against Annan Athletic last May.

And former Caley Thistle midfielder Lewis Hyde, 23, last played in September, with torn ankle ligaments and cartilage damage cutting short his strong start to the campaign.

Both players were on the bench for last weekend’s 1-0 League Two defeat at Spartans, but that was more in line with getting them back involved within the matchday squad rather than them being ready to play.

Pair have ‘winning mentality’

When Girvan and Hyde are fit and available, Hale knows they’re going to help his side kick on.

He said: “I’m really pleased that Kyle and Lewis are not far away.

“It’s still early for them, but it has been good to integrate them to the match day environment.

“It makes them feel part of the squad again, which is important psychologically when you have been out for as long as they have.

“Getting back to fitness is a difficult and lonely journey.

“At times, as a player, you can feel like you’re not really part of the squad.

“Any opportunity you have as a manager to do this as a reward really for the work they have put in.

“They have been in training for a spell and, while we want to get them fit, we don’t want to push them.

“We don’t want to create a risk for them to pick up other injuries.

“They are two really important players for us.

“They are experienced players, but they carry themselves in a way where they play with full commitment, they’re aggressive and they compete really well in games.

“The more characters you have in the team with that winning mentality, it can only make us stronger.

“We just need to increase their fitness and their sharpness for them to get them on the pitch.”

Close contest expected at Forfar

This Saturday, Elgin travel to Forfar, where former Borough Briggs managers Jim Weir and Gavin Price are the Loons’ boss and assistant.

Forfar, who have not won a league game since beating Dumbarton 4-1 on November 22, are just one point adrift of fifth-placed Elgin, whose last league win was also against Dumbarton, 2-0 on November 15.

Hale expects the usual close contest against their Angus foes, but hopes his men find the killer touch to round off 2025 on a high note.

He said: “We were 1-0 down and came back to beat Forfar 2-1 in October.

“I don’t think we played well at all that day.

“Games against Forfar are always tight and difficult. I don’t think, during my two years in charge, there have been more than one-goal wins.

“You’re up against a really experienced management team who know how to get results in this league.

“They have built up an experienced squad; it will be a difficult game at Station Park.

“Forfar are very good in what they do and how they play. It will be tough.

“We’re disappointed with our recent results, so not only do we need to put in a performance, but we also need to show the conviction to score the goals which will help us get three points.”

We need to be ready to compete and match the physical battle first and foremost before we can earn the right to play.”

‘We’re not putting teams away’

Last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Spartans was despite an encouraging performance from City in Edinburgh.

A second half goal from Ayrton Sonkur earned Spartans the victory to move them back to the summit ahead of East Kilbride, leaving City two points below fourth-placed Stranraer.

Hale explained that failing to find the net when on top in matches has been costing them points in recent weeks.

He added: “The Spartans game was symptomatic of the last few weeks for us.

“We’re creating plenty of chances in games and we’re well within games.

“I think there’s just a wee bit of frustration growing because we’re playing well and we have the control we want in games, but we’re not putting teams away.

“That’s been the most disappointing aspect of our season so far.

“Had we been able to put away the chances we been creating then we’d be in a far stronger position, so we’re looking to refine that in the second half of the season.”

[Source: Press and Journal]