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All eyes were on Lee Wilkie, but it was another of the recent names on Dundee’s injury list who took the biggest step toward a first-team return as the Dark Blues faced Arbroath in a closed-door friendly last night.


Scotland defender Wilkie came through his first action since a second knee ligament rupture last April and could be ready for a competitive game in the next three to four weeks.

Goalkeeper Kelvin Jack’s re-appearance at top-team level, however, may just be days away after he turned out for the first time in well over a month.

Jack has been dogged by a knee problem picked up in October while helping Trinidad and Tobago to the World Cup finals and, although he played on for a time, it has sidelined him since Boxing Day.

Like Wilkie, he came through the run-out against the Lichties without mishap and that has put him on course to take over from teenager Scott Murray when Queen of the South visit on Saturday.

“Kelvin looked fine and, in his position, there is a chance he could come into the reckoning straight away, though Scott Murray has been doing well,” confirmed boss Alan Kernaghan.

Not surprisingly, it was the other international on the books who grabbed the attention as he took the first steps back after his second lengthy absence. His progress will continue to be closely monitored and no chances will be taken, but Alan was delighted with the way the fans’ hero came through 45 minutes.

“He said himself to me afterwards that he felt a bit tentative in the first few minutes he was on, but, by the end, he had been involved in a few challenges and looked fine,” he added.

“The knee felt OK and, for me, the big thing was he felt confident about playing. That means all we have to work on is his match fitness, and we can get that right in the next few weeks.”

Back in training today were weekend injury victims Stuart McCluskey, Simon Lynch and Kevin McDonald.