Dunfermline's Cleall-Harding out for months but surgery not needed

Dunfermline Athletic's on-loan defender Sam Cleall-Harding will be sidelined for two to three months with a hamstring injury, though he has avoided surgery, forcing a tactical reshuffle ahead of a key home match against Inverness CT.

Dunfermline Athletic have confirmed that on-loan defender Sam Cleall-Harding's hamstring injury does not require surgery but will keep him out for two to three months. The 23-year-old, who is on loan from Dundee United, suffered the injury during the 0-0 home draw with Livingston on October 17.

Manager Neil Lennon described the loss as a considerable blow. "It is a big blow to lose him," Lennon said. "He is out for a considerable period of time." The news comes as Dunfermline, sitting fourth in the Championship standings with 21 points from 12 games, prepare for a key home fixture against fifth-placed Inverness CT this Saturday fixtures. The team's record of five wins, six draws and one loss this season has them four points behind leaders Partick. Their recent form reads two wins and three draws from the last five matches.

Tactical shift and replacement

The injury has forced a change in formation, with Lennon switching from a three-man defence to a back four. Northern Ireland international Aaron Donnelly, also 23, stepped in against Livingston and is expected to continue in the role. Lennon praised Donnelly's immediate impact, stating the defender "has done exceptionally well" and "played very well" in his first outing.

This defensive reshuffle occurs during a solid run of form for the Pars. They are unbeaten in their last five matches, a sequence of two wins and three draws, and have kept clean sheets in their last two victories. Their most recent result was a 1-0 away win at Stenhousemuir last Tuesday, with Ross MacLeod scoring the decisive goal in the 76th minute. That followed a 1-0 win at Queen's Park on Saturday 24 October, also secured by a MacLeod goal. The team's current form has them just four points behind league leaders Partick Thistle. Dunfermline have scored 10 goals and conceded just six in the league this season.

With the gap to the top at four points, every match is vital in the promotion chase. The immediate focus is on Saturday's 15:00 home game against Inverness, a direct rival in the table. The match at East End Park offers a chance to solidify their top-four position before the next phase of the season. The squad's top scorer this season is T. Oakley-Boothe, who has yet to find the net in 22 appearances.