A SUSPECTED broken ankle to recent signing Ross McKinnon has hit Elgin City with another injury blow.
The former Motherwell defender was set to make his City debut in Saturday's match at East Stirling but ended up being stretchered off during the warm up after going over his ankle.
Elgin's reshuffled team lost 3-2 to a late winning goal, and face being even more strapped for bodies when they make the midweek trip to Berwick.
“Ross was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg, and my thought are with him at the moment,” Jack said shortly after the match.
“We were playing a possession game in the warm up and there was a wee challenge and he went over his ankle.
“You heard the crack, but we're still waiting to hear how bad it is. We think its pretty serious, the poor boy was in a lot of pain.”
It means McKinnon (20), who was signed in January until the end of the season, could see his Elgin career finished before he kicks a ball for the club.
Manager Jack sprang a surprise by fielding former Airdrie and Livingston defender Cameron McDonald in his starting line-up as a trialist.
The centre back made an immediate impact by opening the scoring after 15 minutes with a header.
However, a disputed Paul Quinn penalty made it 1-1 before the break and Mikey Herd shot Shire 2-1 ahead in the early moments of the second half.
Craig Gunn's 13th goal of the season levelled on 52 minutes, but Scott Maxwell's 84th minute header won it for the home side.
Jack revealed that 23-year-old McDonald left Airdrie last year, where he was captain, because he is moving to America in April and will only be able to help Elgin out in the short term.
“We can get him for a couple more games as a trialist and that's probably about it.”
The City boss said he was without skipper David Niven, fellow stopper Jamie Duff and striker Dennis Wyness due to injury, while centre back Sean Crighton was suspended. Work commitments ruled out Graeme Beveridge and Adam MacLeod while Lewis Hallford was unavailable, and midfielder Ross O'Donoghue was only on the bench because he was carrying a knock.
Crighton and Beveridge will be back for Tuesday night's Berwick match, but the rest are unlikely to make it, while Daniel Moore and Ceiran McLean will also miss the match due to work commitments.
“It's not getting easier for us, but hopefully we will get some breaks soon and turn the tide,” Jack said.
The manager said East Stirling benefited from a soft first half penalty after a home player went over Brian Cameron's leg in the box.
He added City had chances to win the contest at 2-2, but felt his team did not work as hard as East Stirling and that led to their downfall.
“Their winning goal was a corner for us and when it was cleared they broke with pace, crossed it into the box and their boy headed it in.
“We didn't work hard enough to match some of their midfield runs and were caught out by the pace of their breaks.”
Elgin: Malin, Morrison, McMullan, McDonald, Millar (O'Donoghue 85), Cameron, Gunn (Forbes 85), Harkins, Leslie, Nicolson, Moore. Subs: McHardy, McLean, Black.
