Beith began the game brightly playing uphill, with former Auchinleck Talbot forward Derek McCulloch getting a 7th minute header on target while very soon after, John Craig hit the post. Pollok tried to make inroads down the slope and in the 16th minute a Gavin Friels flick was sent goalwards only to be cleared off the line by a Beith defender. A minute later Friels saw another effort tipped over the bar by Keith Ross though inbetween both sides enjoyed healthy spells of possession.

In the 24th minute, the usual source of creativity for Lok Martin McLauchlan fired in a low cross towards Chris Cruickshank at the back post but the big defender failed to connect. Back down at the other end, Friels showed his acrobatic side with an impressive overhead kick that Ross was equal to.

On the half-hour mark, Spence shot over the bar after some good build-up play around the Lok area while nine minutes before the break Robbie Cameron was gutted to see Stevie Aitchison hook clear his effort right in the nick of time. Chris Cruickshank then had two consecutive opportunities for Lok soon after but couldn't beat Ross either.

(pics c/o Kathryn MacLeod)

Pollok had a great opportunity right at the start of the second half when Nelson's corner found Black and his header into Friels' path was flicked onto the bar by Ross. However, McCulloch then shot over from a Beith corner at the other end as the game continued to swing from end to end.

Lok tried to step up a gear and A Nelson free-kick found Cruickshank but he couldn't find the back of the net and just before the 60th minute Friels set McLauchlan up to shoot wide.

The introduction of Willie Stewart gave Lok a bit of zest, but in the 70th minute Simon Black displayed superb skills in trapping the ball before crossing from the right for Friels. But even at this stage the game looked to be heading for penalties.

Arthurlie were the better side early on and enjoyed a lot of possession though didn't bring a save out of Ian Wilson during that time. David McKenzie looked sharp in what seemed a rare start for him, the absence of Alan Waddell creating a space up front alongside Robert Downs. In the 17th minute Gary Wilson sent over a free-kick from the enclosure side that Alan Rae got a head onto but he directed the ball wide.

The first half was largely scrappy but one move for Lok came in the 20th minute when Nelson and McLauchlan linked up well though Robertson wasn't tested. The same duo combined from a free-kick that McLauchlan headed on target but Robertson was equal to it. Referee Alan Boyd had brought his book out early, with Heaton, Aitchison and Hobbs all ending up in it before the break. The last mentionable action of the first half came just before the half-hour mark when Gavin Friels found Simon Black in space with a cross but the former Cumnock man's header could only force a fantastic reaction block from Robertson with the ball speeding towards his top corner.

(pics c/o Kathryn MacLeod)

The second half was just as poor football-wise as the first and goals didn't seem likely. The game only came alive after the opening goal in 65 minutes when Friels managed to get a cross in beyond Wilson at the second attempt that Chris Cruickshank did well to keep in play beyond the back post and his cutback was driven high into the net by MARTIN MCLAUCHLAN.

Yellow cards came thick and fast after that; some justified, some harsh. Arthurlie were not out of the game though, even if Lok were winning the yelow card count at a canter, and McKenzie set up Hobbs to fire wide in the 69th minute.