Pars without Gallacher as they bid for home victory

Gallacher has been added to the list of Pars absentees after suffering a suspected dislocated shoulder when Rudi Skacel landed on him after scoring the final goal in Hearts’ 4-0 win at Tynecastle last weekend.

The former Scotland cap is set to be replaced by Chris Smith for Saturday’s game against St Johnstone.

With manager Jim McIntyre at Hampden for a disciplinary hearing, Dunfermline assistant boss Gerry McCabe was focusing on the positive new about the squad.

Former Dundee United midfielder Craig Easton is available again along with Paddy Boyle, Joe Cardle, Paul Burns, and talisman Martin Hardie, who have all returned to full fitness following recent injuries.

McCabe said: “Paul’s struggling a wee bit. He’ll certainly miss this week.

“Hopefully it’s just more bruising than anything else, but we’ll have to wait for the results of the scan.

“We need everybody on board as much as we possibly can at the moment.

“There are still one or two out, but things are looking much healthier this week than last week and a couple of weeks ago.”

Dunfermline have garnerd just four points from their eight home games thus far and are determined to end their barren run as they host the Saints in their final East End Park fixture of the calendar year.

The Pars were held by Aberdeen last month despite leading 3-1 entering the final 10 minutes of play, while Saints travel on the back of three straight losses.

McCabe added: “We’ve not won a home game all season and there’s no better time to try and get a result than Saturday.

“We had a great chance against Aberdeen [the Pars led 3-1 before eventually drawing 3-3], we know that. But we know we’ve got the players to make chances.

“If we can just keep things tight at the back we have a chance of winning the game.

“They’re on a bit of a sticky run just now but St Johnstone are a good side with good players.”

McCabe hopes that Dunfermline can avoid the foot of the table at Christmas but, with 11th-placed Hibernian ahead only on goal difference and Inverness just a point better off, he is not yet too concerned.

“We’re not detached and we’ll try to keep in the mix,” McCabe added.

“It’s going to be very tight, but right now nobody’s looking like they could get on a run.

“We certainly feel we’re good enough to get out of the situation we’re in and one or two results change everything.”