Livingston striker Bruce Anderson is likely to miss the rest of the season.
The 23-year-old injured his ankle in training last week with Lions boss David Martindale revealing scans suggest the club’s top scorer could miss six to eight weeks.
However, the gaffer also admitted he would be hesitant to use the former Aberdeen forward this season even if he recovered quickly, suggesting it may be best for everyone to play it safe.
Anderson has bagged 11 league goals in his first season in West Lothian, and sits just two off Premiership top scorer Regan Charles-Cook. He was also just one goal away from tying Derek Lilley for the club’s best-ever top flight goals return in a season.
The injury could not have come at a worse time for the Lions as they target a third successive top six finish while Anderson’s 11 goals have represented a third of the club’s league tally this term.
With two games before the split, Livi are currently sitting in sixth place, but just two points ahead of Aberdeen in 10th.
Speaking about the injury, Martindale commented: “It’s looking like a long-termer, and when I say a long-termer, I mean six weeks plus.
“We’ll be lucky to see Brucey before the end of the season but what I will say is that there’s been a massive improvement from last Monday and he looks as if he’s going to be a quick healer.”
He added: “I think even in the best case scenario you’re probably looking at six weeks out but more probably around the eight week mark.
“I’m gutted for Brucey as he’s been chasing a lot of targets personally and for the club, and it’s gutting because it was just such an innocuous injury at training.
“Hopefully he can get back in before the end of the season but I think that’s a big ask. We don’t want to rush him back and for the injury to flare up.
“It is what it is and that’s football and we just need to get on with it.”
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