East Fife begin friendly schedule as new season nears

With players unable to complete the last campaign, before going on an extended pre-season break, part of it in lockdown, nurturing players back to full match fitness has had to be done carefully.

Over doing things may cause injuries but Young reckons he’s managed to get his pre-season regime just about right.

The Fifers have played a couple of friendly games this week, a 5-1 win over Stenhousemuir followed up by a 5-0 loss away at Heart of Midlothian.

With fitness the main priority, Young is content with what he’s seen so far.

He said: “It was a really good performance against Stenhousemuir and the fitness levels looked good.

“We then trained Thursday before a real tester against Hearts and again it was more of a fitness exercise.

“But we learned probably more about them in the game than they did about us so that’s good to take into the League Cup.

“Overall it’s so far so good apart from a few aches and pains.

“We’re having to nurture one or two boys through because it takes a lot out of their bodies, particularly with being off for five or six months.

“With some of the older ones you give them maybe an easier session rather than battering them like you would normally do.”

The manager is still casting an eye over a couple of young trialists and will do so again this week when the side plays two further friendly games.

First up is a match against Sauchie in midweek before Dunfermline visit at the weekend.