Fractured cheekbone rules out Neilson

Falkirk trialist Robbie Neilson faces up to six weeks on the sidelines after suffering a triple cheekbone fracture against Dunfermline at the weekend.

The experienced former Hearts and Leicester City right-back was hurt in an aerial challenge with Pars substitute Ryan Thomson at the end of Saturday’s 2-2 draw.

Neilson, who has been without a club since leaving Dundee United in the summer, accepted an invitation to play for the Bairns having been using the training facilities at the First Division club under manager and former Hearts team-mate Steven Pressley.

The 32-year-old will discover today if he needs to have the injury operated on when he visits a Glasgow-based specialist.

Neilson said: “I’ve got a triple cheekbone fracture. I went to the hospital on Saturday to get it checked out and I’m back to see the specialist on Tuesday.

“I’ll find out then if I need an operation or if it will heel naturally. The specialist said I will probably be looking at between four to six weeks out.

“I was surprised their player didn’t even get booked for the challenge. I thought he came in with his elbow and if you do that you get sent off. I was sent off against Celtic once for that.”