Laurie Ellis hobbled off the pitch after just six minutes of the Challenge Cup defeat to Ross County on Tuesday, and the initial diagnosis was a pulled hamstring.

Such an injury would keep Ellis, who has been in top form since returning to the club for a third time, out of action for six to eight weeks — a disaster for a squad already missing three long term injury casualties.

However, after a further examination with the club physio on Wednesday, it is hoped that Ellis may be back sooner, and may even feature against Alloa on Saturday.

"We're waiting on the next report from the physio but it might not be the hamstring pull we feared," McGlynn explained.

"The physio reckons it could be a nerve problem stemming from his back. That has given us a glimmer of hope."

With Andrew Cook suspended, Mark Ferry, a right-footed attacking midfielder, is on stand-by to become an emergency left back on Saturday after slotting into the position during the midweek cup match.

"We're Raith Rovers and this is the type of things we have to deal with," McGlynn said.

"We don't get it easy, and we don't get the breaks. Mark went to left back on Tuesday and got on with his business.

"We've had a strong back four but if we have to tamper too much it becomes a different proposition."

McGlynn admitted that another long term injury would stretch his squad to the limit but bringing in emergency loan players as cover will depend on finances.

"It all comes down to money," he said. "We scraped the barrel just to get Kevin Smith to the club.

"I have players I can bring in but it all depends on the board coming to me and saying that they've got money."

Raith make the short journey to Alloa on Saturday, a ground where all six points were lost during last season's failed promotion campaign.

"They are in a similar position as Ross County were in that they need a win," he said. "Our focus is on picking up the points that we dropped last season.

"We want to get to the top of the league as soon as possible and we'll only do that by winning our games."