COWDENBEATH, fresh from their five goal mauling at Falkirk, have been taking a roll call this week to see who will be fit to take on second top side Dundee this Saturday.

Dees shared the spoils with their closest challengers, Hamilton Accies, at the weekend, so Cowden will find them tough opponents.

The heavy defeat at Westfield was a major blow to Cowden hopes of avoiding the Championship play-offs but they have to pick up the pieces and go to Dens Park and seek to repeat their shock win of December.

Manager Jimmy Nicholl could hardly believe the injuries which his defence men took on Saturday but before that all happened he felt his team was simply not at the races.

To lose Nat Wedderburn, who has been a rock for Cowden at the back this past four months, before the half hour mark was bad enough but after he had taken Thomas O’Brien off to bolster the midfield, ten minutes later sub Chris Kane had to be replaced after picking up a knock.

Said the boss, “Losing Nat and Chris when we did really was hard to take and it left us short of defensive cover.

“But to be honest while all that did not help, we simply did not start the match at all well and did not really compete throughout the first-half.

“Falkirk took advantage to put the game out of sight but we made it all too easy for them.” Alloa’s heavy defeat at Dumbarton meant that nothing has been lost in the race to beat the play-offs and Cowden are still four points behind the Wasps.

They play bottom side Morton at home this weekend, but the Ton have won their last two games and will be going to the Recs to make it three wins in a row.

And Cowden will be heading to Dens Park desperate to get something from the match and Mr Nicholl was earlier this week trying to work out who might be fit.

“Nat has a hamstring problem and that could mean he will be missing for weeks but Chris Kane might make it as he took knee on his hip, although Kenny Adamson and Darren Brownlie could be weeks away.” On the plus side the midfield and front men came through the game unscathed but really Cowden could be better prepared for a game against one of the top teams in the Championship. “On the face of it is is a really tough assignment but we were in a smilar situation earlier in the season when we won there but we have to have a much more aggressive style to our play this Saturday.

“They are under pressure too for different reasons so it is up to us to go to Dens Park and make life very difficult for Dundee.” Spice is added to the fixture with Dundee having signed Cowden striker Greg Stewart on a pre-contract agreement.

Stewart's current deal runs out in June and the front man has been a constant threat to Dundee this term and they have moved quickly to fix him up for next season.