POLLOK’S excellent return to Junior football’s top flight continued on Saturday with a 4-2 victory over Beith that owed much to a “perfect hat-trick “performance from midfield driving force John Sweeney.

The former Clyde ace netted with an unstoppable left-foot drive, a header from a corner kick and a sweetly struck penalty kick to secure a three-point haul.

Yet the home support feared the victory was Ayrshire-bound after the Mighty roared out of the Newlandsfield blocks to dominate the early stages.

Lok goalkeeper Jordan Longmuir, whose shot-stopping display must have ran Sweeney close for man-of-the-match honours, had already conjured up a terrific double save to block out an Andy Reid rocket and deny Kenny McLean’s follow-up attempt before the visitors went 1-0 ahead.

The deadlock-breaking strike came when Darren Christie reacted quickest to a ball through the middle to clip a low shot beyond the stranded keeper with just 12 minutes played.

Beith were well worthy of their lead at this stage, however the Pollok players were not for buckling just because they were behind.

And slowly but surely they succeeded in exerting some attacking pressure of their own which was rewarded with an equaliser just short of the half-hour mark.

The close control and skills of David Winters cutting across the byeline totally flummoxed Beith full-back Zander Ryan and the striking ace had time to pick out Sweeney with a cut back that the 28-year-old gleefully lashed home for 1-1.

Pollok’s determination not to yield up their foothold in the game saw them start second half proceedings at a high tempo.

And they got their noses in front just four minutes into the restart as Sweeney’s nonchalantly leaning on the upright at a Tam Hanlon corner kick saw him left criminally unmarked when the cross came over.

And his firmly glanced header found the net exactly where he had been standing.

The scoreline stayed the same mainly because both keepers were at the top of their games before a pivotal moment arrived in 67 minutes as a rare slip by Paul Gallagher allowed hitman Reid to run through on goal only to be foiled by another great save by the advancing Longmuir.

Pollok capitalised on their escape by going 3-1 up from a penalty awarded when Ryan surrendered possession to Derek Hepburn and his dash into the box was ended as his heels were clipped by the chasing back Paul Frize to earn Sweeney a chance to rifle the ball home from the spot for his hat trick.

An open game ensued over the closing period as Beith went for broke but their attacking enterprise left gaps at the back for strong running Pollok substitute Alan McKenzie to exploit.

And one typically searing burst left him with only the advancing Grindley to beat,

However, he unselfishly squared the ball and team mate Winters stroked the ball into the unguarded net for a 4-1 scoreline.

The defiant Ayshiremen contrived to grab an injury-time consolation score when the unfortunate Gallagher deflected in a fiercely driven Calum Watt cross in attempting to prevent the ball reaching the lurking Reid.

And there was still time for Watt to pass up a glorious scoring opportunity that had team boss Johnny Millar lamenting his team's performance..

He said: "We could and should have score more but our own wasteful finishing along with Pollok’s keeper pulling off a string of top saves ensured we never made the most of the many scoring opportunities created out there today.

“That’s disappointing but what grinds most is the manner of our defending at times because you simply cannot get away with being so lax coming to places like Newlandsfield.”

Sweeney, whose scoring fireworks come to the fore in the month of November – his last treble strike came in a 5-0 Scottish Cup win at Dundee Violet almost a year ago – emerged from his dressing room to underscore Pollok's teamwork ethic.

“I’m obviously delighted to score three goals but what matters most is Pollok picking up three points against what was a very good Beith team .

“We were slow to find our feet and they totally bossed the game early on but once the scores were level, I felt we were in control for the most part and deserved our win."

Their latest triumph moved Tony McInally’s men to second top spot in the standings behind leading lights Rob Roy.

But sitting ominously one point further behind from three games fewer played are reigning champions Auchinleck Talbot following a thrilling 4-3 comeback win at home to Hurlford United.

Ross Chisholm and Stewart Keane scores raised hopes of a visiting upset and even Keir Milliken halving Talbot’s deficit before half time looked to have counted for nothing when Ryan Borris netted early in the second half to put the Ford 3-1 ahead.

But forcing Talbot to dig deep only led to a rousing climax which saw Gordon Pope net twice (once from the penalty spot) and set the scene for Bryan Young to head a dramatic injury-time winner.

Ace marksman Adam Forsyth did the trick yet again as Troon won 1-0 at home to Shettleston and Petershill salvaged a share of the spoils at home to Kilbirnie Ladeside whose 1-0 advantage from a Stevie Meechan goal was cancelled out by Chris Craig’s leveller.

The key basement encounter between Glenafton and Irvine Meadow down at Loch Park went the way of the Glens who came back from 1-2 down to run out 4-2 winners thanks to a Joe Andrew double and Jamie McGeoghegan counter.

Earlier on, JP Boyle had opened for the home side only for Ross McPherson and Grant Evans to net for bottom markers Medda.