Injuries Finally Clearing Up

This welcome news comes as it is revealed that all of the Dons' injured players are now back in training.

Midfield dynamo Barry Nicholson, who has missed the last two months with a rib injury, could be fit in time to make the bench for Saturday's SPL fixture against Rangers.

The Ibrox clash will come too early for shoulder injury victim Richie Byrne, but the marauding left-back is likely to be available for the vital home clash with fourth-place rivals Kilmarnock the following weekend.

Want-away keeper Ryan Esson and, surprisingly, Michael Hart are both expected to feature at some stage before the end of the campaign. For Esson it may be on the bench as Jamie Langfield has made the position between the sticks his own in recent months.

For Hart however, any return to action will be an unexpected pleasure. The 26-year-old, who has been suffering from groin problems for virtually a full season, made the right-back slot his own with several assured performances in Jimmy Calderwood's first season.

Despite appearing in four games this term, he has clearly been troubled by his injury and any return before the end of this season would be a welcome boost for the Dons.

Chris Clark will also feature in the post-split fixtures despite needing a groin operation. The multi-tasking winger-cum-midfielder-cum-full-back has postponed the surgery until the end of the season and has been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks.

Dons gaffer Jimmy Calderwood told the Evening Express: "It should mean being back to full strength over the course of the last five games, which would be a big bonus."