Injuries no excuse as Smith reflects on successive defeats

East Fife manager Barry Smith is refusing to use injuries as an excuse for his promotionseeking side losing their last two games.

The Bayview men went down to Brechin on Saturday and Albion Rovers on Tuesday night with Smith having six players unavailable for selection.

Smith has been unable to call on Kyle Wilkie, Tony Wallace and Luke Watt for most of 2017 and Mark Lamont has also been a regular absentee with Kevin Smith and Jonathan Page missing in Coatbridge.

Smith said: “We only run with a small squad and our captain and vice-captain were both unavailable as well as the other boys on Tuesday.

“I could complain about it and curse my luck but that is not my style. You have to deal with what is in front of you and we will do that.

“In both games we could have taken something from them so we will look to get back to w inning ways against Queen’s Park this weekend.”

Fife meanwhile have moved into the transfer market to sign goalkeeper Craig Gordon until the end of the season – but it is not the Celtic and Scotland shot-stopper they have recruited.

The Fifers have signed the 22-year-old former Queen’s Park, East Stirling and East Kilbride shot-stopper who has been on the bench as a trialist recently.

Gordon played six times for the Shire before being released in 2014, with one of his games being as an outfield substitute in a game at Peterhead.

Gordon said: “I am delighted to be back in the senior game with East Fife.

“I have played junior recently but Alex Conon, who is the goalkeeper coach at Bayview, knows me from my days at the Shire and recommended me to Barry Smith.”