TON defender Ricki Lamie reckons Morton’s gruelling fixture schedule has taken its toll — and even the fittest players at the club have found it difficult.

Lamie believes this weekend’s international break couldn’t have come at a better time for his side, as Ton currently have several first-team players struggling on the treatment table.

But the 23-year-old heaped praise on Ton’s makeshift back-line for holding out against Raith Rovers last week after another injury — this time to new boy Gavin Gunning.

He told the Tele: “The more time the injured guys like myself and Lee [Kilday] have got to rehab, the better. The games have come thick and fast, and that’s not just for the injured players — it’s for the squad as a whole. 

“There’s no disguising that we’ve not got a massive squad so the vast majority of guys have played a good number of 90 minutes already this season. With cup runs and some hard games, the international break is good for everyone right across the board.

“It’s been a mixed bag over the past four weeks but we’ve always been there or thereabouts. What was important on Saturday was that there wasn’t much in the game, but we managed to hang on.

“That’s what has been questioned of us in the past few weeks and months because we’ve conceded goals when we shouldn’t have, but we got a good boost on Saturday as it was one of those games that could go either way. 

“It could easily have whittled out to a 0-0 draw, but we’ve got the goal and managed to hold onto it, which was massive.

“The injuries are just one of those things. I’m sure if you asked the gaffer he would say the same thing where it never rains but it pours. You could go a full season like last year when there was an injury here or there but never anything major. 

“But you bring Gavin in and it’s basically felt like it was fortunate that he did come in, in terms of numbers. And it was great for the competition at the back. 

“But you need to be fit to have the competition. So hopefully Gav’s injury isn’t as severe as first thought, and myself and Lee are on the road to recovery. 

“I’d like it to be in the next week or two we’d be back because of what games are coming up, but at the same time the faster we get back to work, the better.”