City to miss Duff with Raith tie on horizon

AN INJURY setback is set to rob Elgin City of the services of skipper Jamie Duff until the New Year.

Duff could need a hernia operation and manager Jim Weir revealed the defender is certain to be out until mid-December, but could even miss the next three months.

With City already short of defensive personnel, it will step up the manager’s hunt for cover at the back when the transfer window re-opens in January.

Duff missed his team’s 1-0 Scottish Cup win over Spartans on Saturday, a result which earned them a crack at Championship Raith Rovers in the next round.

The Black and Whites were also missing loan players Mark Hurst, Liam Gordon and Kyle MacLeod last weekend, but two of those will return for Saturday’s home league game against Arbroath.

Manager Weir is still counting the cost of Duff’s groin injury.

“It’s a massive blow for us, especially losing our captain,” he said. “It’s looking like he will be out for anything between six and 12 weeks.

“Defensively, we are short of bodies but we will just have to cover in his absence.”

Weir is hopeful that one makeshift centre back, Mark Nicolson, will shake off a knee knock and be fit to face Arbroath.

Full story, more Elgin action and interview with goal hero Archie Macphee in Northern Scot print edition.

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