Exclusive:Hibs injury news - Boyle and Cadden scan results in as top scorer and assist king fitness verdicts delivered
Easter Road encounter with Motherwell gives Gray’s men chance to overtake visitors
Top scorer Martin Boyle has received mixed news from scan results on his injured hamstring, as Hibs continue to cope with a lengthy casualty list at a crucial stage of the Scottish Premiership season. And, despite a better-than-expected long-term prognosis, Boyle is definitely OUT of Saturday’s head-to-head with closest league rivals Motherwell.
Top chance maker Nicky Cadden will also miss the home game with Jens Berthel Askou’s team because of a calf problem. And Josh Campbell is facing at least three weeks out with a new injury.
But there’s been good news for both Jack Iredale and Kanayo Megwa after the pair limped out of last weekend’s 3-1 win over Kilmarnock on the plastic pitch at Rugby Park. Both are fighting to be fit for Saturday’s visit of fourth-placed Motherwell, who have earned rave reviews for their performances – but sit just two points ahead of Hibs.
Socceroos star hasn’t played since win over Dons
Boyle, who has eight goals in all competitions for his club this season, pulled up clutching his hamstring in the first half of the recent 2-0 home win over Aberdeen. Easter Road boss David Gray, looking to lead his team to a fourth straight league win before heading to Dunfermline to face old gaffer Neil Lennon’s Pars in the Scottish Cup on Saturday week, revealed details of the full scan on the Socceroos striker.
“Martin Boyle has had the results and it's not as bad as it could be, which is positive,” said the former club captain. “That's good.
“This weekend is probably going to be too soon, but I fully expect him to be joining back in training, available for the Dunfermline game, probably I think is quite realistic. So that's positive in terms of when you see somebody pull up the way he did, especially Boyle when he's running at that speed.
“You clearly think the worst straight away when somebody pulls up straight away, worried that you've maybe done something more significant, so that's probably as good as it can be. But he’s a doubt for this weekend, definitely should be available for next week.”
Boyle is one of three players locked together at the top of the scoring charts for Hibs, sitting alongside Kieron Bowie – who will be well enough to start this weekend after coming on as a sub against Killie – and Jamie McGrath. Although Gray’s men coped well without Boyle for most of the Aberdeen game and again in the weekend win over Kilmarnock, the veteran will be missed.
“With Martin, even when he's not scoring, it's how it affects the game,” said Gray. “How important he's been, how much he's delivered for this club for a long time, how effective he is at this level.
“And even when you think back to the Aberdeen game, when he was playing, he was very sharp, very lively in the game at that point as well. And I thought he was really looking sharp in a good place.
“So the injury comes at a bit of a time when I thought he was getting looking sharp, brighter off the back of a couple of goals as well. I think the good thing is, this isn't nothing too significant and he should be back pretty quickly. So that's all positive.”
New calf problem for wingback
Wide threat Cadden, meanwhile, has received a medical verdict on the calf problem that forced him off after half an hour of the 3-2 home win over Hearts on December 27. The wingback, who had been sidelined by a calf injury earlier in the month, is being treated with extra care after the latest flare-up.
Gray said: “With Nicky, we've had the results of that one as well. That's again, positive.
“Well I say positive. It's positive because it's nothing too significant and it's in the same area. But he won't be available this weekend.
“But again, I expect him to be available for the Scottish Cup game after Dunfermline. This game would come too soon. He should be able to do at best a little bit of training Friday, definitely early part of next week.
“As long as he keeps progressing, obviously between now and then, we'll hope to have him available probably for the Dunfermline game as well. It is the calf, yeah, but slightly different. Not the same injury, let's just say.
“It's just been something in there. Which is probably another reason why he certainly wouldn't take a risk with it being in that area again. So we just have to make sure that we do everything right.
“He's feeling really good. As I say, we're certainly not going to take a risk with him because of his history, because of what's happened recently. The good thing is it's nothing too significant.”
Defenders recovering from plastic pitch problems
Iredale is expected to recover from the awkward landing on his heel that saw him substituted early in the second half last weekend, Gray saying: “He’s responding quite well. And he's still hoping to try and be available for this weekend.
“So there's a bit of positivity there that he's definitely not ruled out. The one thing is he's not been on the training pitch as of yet.
“Obviously we're still a wee bit early in the week because you want that to try and settle down as early as you can. But we can make a decision on that probably closer to match day as well.”
Megwa suffered shin pain on the artificial surface in Ayrshire, meanwhile, but is back in training, the manager saying: “He’s actually felt good in training today. So we don't expect that to be an issue. There's certainly not been a reaction so far. So he should be available for the weekend.”
Hamstring strain for Josh Campbell
There is bad news for Campbell, though, Gray revealing: “Yeah, so Josh is one that will be out for a wee period, unfortunately. He felt his hamstring in training on the Friday before the game.
“Bit of tightness in there that's been niggling away at him for a wee while. He's played a couple of games recently as well. So probably that little spike.
“But he's going to be out for probably a couple of weeks, three weeks definitely. So he misses a few games just now.
“Which is disappointing for him because he's had to be patient. He's had to work hard, wait for his opportunity. So on a personal note for him, it's a frustrating one.
“But it's not something that's going to keep him out for six, 12 weeks. It's something that hopefully gets him back as quick as he can. He's starting to feel better already.”
Scotland striker Bowie, meanwhile, is fully recovered from the sickness bug that saw him miss the Aberdeen game and play only a substitutes’ role against Kilmarnock. And Hibs will have Rocky Bushiri back from AFCON duties after the Democratic Republic of Congo’s exit from the tournament.