Dunfermline: James McPake aims to involve Dapo Mebude

The 23-year-old, who signed a one-year contract last Wednesday, having trained with the club in recent weeks, came off the bench in the final 20 minutes of the 1-1 draw at Airdrie.

That was the former Rangers and Scotland under-21 attacker's first competitive first team minutes since January, when he was playing for Belgian side KV Oostende, after sustaining life-threatening injuries in a freak car accident.

After being cut out of the vehicle, Mebude spent five days in a coma and required emergency surgery.

In June, his club were declared bankrupt, with a successor club, K.V. Diksmuide-Oostende, subsequently formed as part of a merger.

READ MORE: New Pars boy Dapo opens up on life-threatening car crash

“I wanted to get him on as early as I could. I'm mindful of where he is in his minutes," McPake said after Saturday's match.

"But I think Dapo, for a lot of people, because he's been away from Scotland for a bit, he's still seen as a young kid. He's certainly not that. I think we saw that when he goes on.

"He was brave and he doesn't mind the physical battle. He can play off a side, he can play central.

"We'll use this week as well to top him up and get him ready, and hopefully get him involved against Kelty. Then, by the time Morton comes, he's available and ready to start.

"I think Craig Clay is now getting to that. It's another 83 minutes for him. Matthew Todd again, another player that was disappointed with his performance last week, but I thought he was excellent in the game for how long he could last.

"We're mindful of the fact where they are as well. They've been injured, or they've not been in, but Dapo will offer us a lot of options.

"I'm really looking forward to working with him."

McPake, meanwhile, said that left back, Kieran Ngwenya, should be in line for a return against Kelty after missing the last two games having undergone a "minor" groin procedure.

He also revealed that Lewis McCann missed the Airdrie game with a "slight calf issue" but was optimistic he too would be available, whilst Chris Kane, who was substituted in the match, would also be ok.

Chris Kane, who scored from the spot on Saturday, was substituted in the second half. (Image: Craig Brown.)

"Lewis was touch and go. He's got a slight calf issue," McPake explained.

"I'm sure we'll have Lewis as well for Saturday, whether we risk him or not.

"I think we did miss him, particularly the way you play against a team that wants to build out.

"You can go and press them and I don't think there's anybody better that I've worked with than Lewis at getting after a team."

On Kane, he added: "I think he's okay. He got a kind of jolt through his knee when he landed awkwardly.

"Again, I can get why he worries about that knee in particular, but he's okay. I hope he is as well because I think we're now seeing a difference in Chris Kane and what he's offering."