Ross County attacker Craig Curran will miss his club’s pre-season trip to Spain after suffering a head injury in the friendly win at Elgin on Saturday.
Given the Liverpudlian’s history of illness related to a past bout of concussion, there was immediate concern when Curran exited the field at Borough Briggs after little more than half an hour’s play.
But County manager Jim McIntyre is hopeful the head injury is not serious and will not bring a recurrence of persistent symptoms suffered after a previous injury suffered against Kilmarnock in August 2015.
McIntyre admitted: “It’s really frustrating. Craig has taken another really sore one and was a bit concussed and has had a lot of problems in the past.
“He will miss out on Spain now because he’ll not be able to do anything training-wise for at least a week.
“But the positive thing is that his response after it was very good. It’s totally different from last time. He can remember everything and it’s on a different area of the head as well. Hopefully, he will make a full recovery.”
Former Celtic midfielder John Herron, 23, scored the only goal of the game after coming on as a half-time substitute.
Trialist Herron, the former Scotland youth and under-21 international most recently with Blackpool, will feature for County in La Manga and McIntyre added: “John has trained with us for a few days now, so we are just getting to know each other.
“I’m pleased he got the goal and got into good forward positions well. We will make a decision on him at the end of next week.”
McIntyre had Dutch defender Kenny van der Weg back in his team after the Dutchman’s change of heart on his future and one-year contract.
Elgin nearly shocked their Premiership visitors in their first meaningful attack on 24 minutes. Thomas Reilly’s free kick from deep left fell kindly for Brian Cameron on the right side of the box but his shot slid inches wide.
County’s Curran then came off worst in an unfortunate clash with Elgin trialist Ross McKinnon, with Ryan Dow replacing the attacker.
With the best chance of the first half County’s Tim Chow was denied by the Elgin goalkeeper from only eight yards.
County changed almost their entire team at half-time, with new signing Sean Kelly, the former St Mirren and Wimbledon defender, as the only man to start both halves.
City’s summer signing Jon-Paul McGovern almost made a scoring debut with the veteran’s audacious 40-yard lob skimming the top of the bar.
County side had a double chance on the hour as Ryan Dow’s looping header bounced back off the crossbar and Ross Maciver’s overhead attempt on the rebound was nodded off the line by Matthew Cooper.
County finally broke the deadlock when a Dow cross from the right picked out trialist Herron in space for a sidefoot finish from six yards.
Elgin manager Jim Weir said: “Considering we had a few players on trial it was a great exercise for us and I’m pleased with how it went.”
Weir went into the game with just one signed defender in Matthew Cooper, with the only other stopper in his squad being Darryl McHardy, who was attending a wedding.
He drafted in four trialists, including three who started in the back four.
Former Motherwell youngster Brian Ross, who played with Cowdenbeath last season, featured at right back.
Former Elgin defender Ross McKinnon, previously with Motherwell and more recently East Kilbride, is striving to earn another chance at Elgin and played left back.
Also put through his paces was centre back Cammy Eadie, 19, who was released by Falkirk at the end of last season. Former Morton youth Cameron Clark, 16, featured as a second-half substitute.