David Gray had to be helped from the field

The game at the end of Hibs winter training camp in the Algarve was only into its seventh minute when Gray fell to the floor clutching his left ankle with no-one near him.

Gray, who had talked only a few days ago of finally being over the niggling knee problem that has blighted his season, was in obvious distress as he was helped from the pitch, the 29-year-old later leaving the stadium following Hibs’ 3-1 defeat with his ankle in a protective boot.

A closer examination of the injury will take place after the squad return to Edinburgh tomorrow, but Lennon admitted he was fearing the worst.

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He said: “I think it is a bad one. He felt something pop in his Achilles and that’s always a really bad sign. It could be devastating for us and him so we will have to wait and see what the prognosis is when we get back. It’s heartbreaking – it’s one of those innocuous things.

“I think it is pretty serious, a real blow. He will be in boot to keep it stable for a couple of days. We don’t really know if it is a tear or a rupture.