BY IAIN COLLIN – @CCP_sport
Raith Rovers attacker Lewis Vaughan will travel south today hoping for good news as he undergoes a check-up on his injured knee.
The 19-year-old seriously damaged his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in just the second match of the campaign back in August.
The teenager was expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season following surgery in September at the Yorkshire Clinic in Bingley, where Scotland striker Steven Naismith and ex-Rangers captain Barry Ferguson have also been treated.
Rovers manager Ray McKinnon still fears that will be the case, despite a frustrated Vaughan reporting in recent days that he feels ‘fantastic’.
The highly-rated youngster, who scored in both his appearances at the start of the season, will return to Yorkshire today and will be optimistic of being given the all-clear to continue stepping up his rehabilitation.
McKinnon explained: “Lewis is going back down on Monday for a check-up to see how he is and we’re all hoping they’re happy with him.
“He’s on track. He feels fantastic and he thinks he should be back training.
“But he has to strengthen the muscles round the knee and because he feels great he thinks he can do it.
“We’re still looking at him being out for six months. I think the earliest for him would be to be back in training in March.
“So, by the time he works his fitness up it’s basically going to be the season for him.
“But he feels great.”
Rovers are hopeful of another fillip today, with skipper Jason Thomson poised to return to training after damaging his back in the 3-0 defeat to Livingston last month.
McKinnon added: “Jason’s got a trapped nerve in his back or a banged nerve in his back. He’s sore but he’s been running so I imagine he’ll be fit come Saturday; I don’t think there’ll be a problem.
“There has been no point pushing him when we didn’t have a game at the weekend, but he could be back in training on Monday and he should be okay.”
@IainCollin
