Glentoran striker Curtis Allen is facing an extended spell on the sidelines after aggravating a groin injury which has kept him out since August.
The 31-year-old has made just four appearances this season for the Glens and is expected to be out for another month.
"Curtis had a setback a couple of weeks ago, so he has just started running again. Hopefully we have him back by early December, or maybe mid December," Glens head coach Mick McDermott said.
"That would be brilliant to have him back for that busy Christmas period.
"He has inflammation in the groin, and it is a chronic thing that has kept him out since the Ballymena game back in August.
"It isn't like Curtis. He doesn't have an injury history, he is pretty durable. But this has flared up.
"He struck a ball and it got worse and worse, and then he just broke down. It doesn't go away easy. Callum Birney had it for years and he has been in and out."
McDermott says Glentoran will nurse Allen back to full fitness before bringing him back into first-team duty.
"Curtis is a goalscorer, exactly what we would like to have right now. I think if Curtis had been in the team since the start of the season I think he would have had 15 goals by now," he added.
"Hopefully we have Curtis back mid-December. Any setback with this injury can delay your return by weeks, not days. So we won't rush things. We will take it slow this time."
Check out this week's That's What I Call Football podcast with Glentoran defender Patrick McClean:
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