GLENAFTON may have to take on Bonnyrigg Rose in the Scottish Junior Cup semi-final first leg clash minus two of their best players after a painful knee knock forcing striker Chris Dallas to retire midway through Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Beith was followed by cornerstone defender Craig Menzies limping off during the second half with a groin strain.

Make-or-break assessments will be made on both players later this week but Glens boss Craig McEwan is understandably keeping fingers crossed they will be passed fit for the Loch Park head to head with the East Region big guns.

The affable gaffer insisted: “Avoiding knocks and bruises in a meeting of two clubs challenging for the league title is nigh on impossible but it’s a particularly sore one to take when major doubts are now hanging over Chris and Craig ahead of our biggest game of the season to date.

“They will get treatment and be given time to declare themselves ready but there’s a real dilemma facing us now because pushing them may prove detrimental to their chances of figuring in the following Saturday’s second leg through at Bonnyrigg where the tie is likely to be settled.

“Picking up a point away to arguably our toughest Super Premier opponents this season was a terrific outcome but any satisfaction has been totally overshadowed by these injury concerns.”

To be given the thumbs-up by his club physiotherapist would be a perfect birthday present for Dallas (he turned 30 yesterday) who is nursing a burning desire to feature in the Junior Cup last-four stage even though he can call on a memorable Scottish Cup experience in the Senior game playing for the Albion Rovers side that battled their way to a 1-1 Ibrox draw with Rangers in a 2014 quarter-final tie before succumbing to a 2-0 replay defeat.

The in-form hitman, who netted Glenafton’s goal against Beith, said: “Myself and Mark McLaughlin of Beith went shoulder to shoulder going for a ball and I ended up on the ground where his full weight came down on my knee with a jarring effect.

“A bit of was swelling had appeared at half-time so it was thought best to take me off and I was gutted because scoring our goal and being part of a very good first half performance had me flying up to that point.

“I then spent Saturday night and Sunday resting up as well as icing my knee in order to help my recovery as much as possible and it certainly feels better than it did.

“So right now I’m genuinely hopeful of making it but it would be just my luck to miss out on another big game occasion as I only figured for 20 minutes against Rangers at Ibrox before having to be substituted after injuring the very same knee.”

The absence of former East Kilbride Thistle and Arthurlie marksman Dallas, scorer of 15 goals in as many starting appearances for Glenafton this season, would be a blow to the Ayrshiremen despite the availability of recent signing John Carter (Queen's Park) and the impending return to action of seasoned hitman Mick McCann.

Dallas added: “The gaffer has options but you can put money on it being a case of one other alongside Joe Andrew whose first touch is probably the best I’ve ever experienced in the Junior game.”

Dealing with their own setbacks on the injury front are Beith whose ruling out highly-rated full-back Nikky Docherty for the remainder of this campaign with a broken arm comes hard on the heels of the news that striker Kenny McLean will need to go under the surgeon’s knife to repair knee ligament damage.

Manager Johnny Millar said: “Losing players of their quality is a blow and we are also going without John Sheridan due to a hamstring injury that is taking time to heal.”

Beith might also be facing the prospect of losing Paul Frize after Lowland League side East Kilbride made an approach for the former Glasgow Perthshire midfielder, while elsewhere on the transfer front comes word of Lloyd Kinnaird and Paul Martin obtaining their release from Shettleston.

SATURDAY'S FIXTURES

(Kick-offs 2pm unless stated)

Scottish Junior Cup semi-finals first leg (2.30pm): Glenafton v Bonnyrigg Rose, Linlithgow Rose v Auchinleck Talbot.

McBookie.com Super Premier Division: Beith v Largs Thistle, Kilwinning Rangers v Cumnock, Hurlford Utd v Pollok, Rob Roy v Arthurlie.

McBookie.com Super First Division: Petershill v Rutherglen Glencairn, Kilsyth Rangers v Renfrew,Irvine Meadow v Girvan, Blantyre Vics v Irvine Vics, Maryhill v Shettleston, Shotts Bon Accord v Yoker Athletic, Clydebank v Cumbernauld Utd.

McBookie.com Central First Division: Vale of Clyde v Johnstone Burgh, Greenock v Lesmahagow, Bellshill Athletic v Larkhall Thistle, Thorniewood Utd v Rossvale, Forth Wanderers v Neilston, St Roch's v Wishaw.

McBookie.com Central Second Division: Newmains Utd v Ashfield, Dunipace v Gartcairn, East Kilbride Thistle v Vale of Leven, Royal Albert v Lanark Utd.

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League: Annbank Utd v Lugar Boswell, Maybole v Dalry Thistle, Saltcoats Vics v Darvel, Whitletts Vics v Kello Rovers, Craigmark v Ardeer Thistle.