Tony McInally tore into his Pollok tabletoppers last night after their 1-0 home defeat to Shettleston.

And he warned them their bad attitude could cost them the chance of a serious title tilt this season.

A clearly irate Macca said: "I’ve told the guys exactly how I feel.

"Make no mistake, we’ve missed a glorious opportunity to consolidate our top-of-the-table position and put pressure on other teams.

"We only had three players worthy of passmarks for their performances out there today and that is not good enough.

"The simple truth is no team can carry eight passengers and expect to win games in this Super Premier Division.

"Too many players appeared to have the attitude that the hard bit had been done in getting to be league leaders.

"But now they’ve undone all their good work to let themselves and our supporters down.”

His withering blast left people in no doubt that Pollok didn’t play as their manager wanted them.

However, another contributory factor was the battling display of a Shettleston side whose desire to end a run of eight games without victory was evident from first whistle to last.

Nothing summed up their spirit more than the spell late in proceedings when the sky darkened and a desperate Pollok threw big stopper Chris Walker up front and proceeded to fire crosses into the Town penalty area.

There were near things aplenty, but the visiting players conjured up an array of last-gasp tackles and threw their bodies in to block shots.

And behind them, experienced goalkeeper Bryn Halliwell was a safe pair of hands who conjured up several telling saves when needed.

The big shotstopper emerged from his dressing room to say: "That win was long overdue and hopefully everyone will get a huge lift from coming here and beating the league leaders in the manner we did.

“We’ve not lacked for effort or commitment in our games up to now, but luck has been in short supply as well as an inability to score goals (Shettleston had only scored once in their previous five league outings).

"But we proved today we can create chances. Pollok played well but we probably deserved to edge things.”

The visiting Town did create the better first-half openings, but Pollok appeared to be gaining the upper hand after the resumption so it was real kick in the teeth to fall goal behind around the 70th-minute mark.

A Shettleston break upfield saw substitute Keigan Parker fouled and the free kick played into a crowded penalty box by Chrissy McCormick appeared to go in-off a Pollok defender even though big striker Scott Anson received the congratulations of team-mates.

He said: “I’ve managed to get a decent touch to Chrissy’s free kick and the ball has deflected off a Pollok leg, but it was going in anyway so I’m claiming the goal.”

The Newlandsfield outfit’s equalising attempts coming to nothing in the face of resolute defending by Reon Juskowiack & Co led to McInally going for broke in the closing stages.

He promoted the towering Walker upfield, however Halliwell’s goal remained intact much to the delight of Town gaffer Hugh Kelly.

He said: "It’s a terrific and well deserved result for which every player deserves credit, yet more because things have not been going our way of late rather than beating the league leaders in their own patch.

“Even this morning we had a few call-offs leaving us down to just 15 players, but we made light of our handicap and served up a really good performance.”

In other league games, Cumnock moved up to fourth top spot in the Super First Division table with Aiden Malone, Ross McNeil and Paul Burns finding the net in a comprehensive 3-0 defeat of Shotts Bon Accord .

Rossvale’s lead atop the Central First Division pile was extended to four points courtesy of a brace of goals from Corey Irvine (who also missed a penalty kick) and a counter from returning midfielder Ross Hepburn, transferred back to his former club on the morning of the game from Kilsyth Rangers.

Up into second place are Renfrew after twice coming behind to salvage a share of the spoils away to Carluke Rovers for whom Scott Burns and Mark Haddow were on target while Renfrew’s responses came from Jamie Benton and Alan Kinney (pen).

A remarkable second-half display saw Newmains come back from 3-0 down away to Port Glasgow to score four times through David O’Donnell , Stevie Kane (2) and Colin Boylan while top scorer Kevin Adam netted a double as Ayrshire District frontrunners Irvine Vics recovered from falling a goal behind to hammer Whitletts Vics 5-1.

West Region clubs fared well in the ETHX Energy Scottish Cup contests to beat the elements with cup holders Auchinleck Talbot routing Kinnoul 8-2 helped by hat tricks from Graham Wilson and Stevie Hyslop.

Darren Miller bagged a treble to go along with a Kevin Turner score as Kilbirnie Ladeside bested Dundee Violet 4-1 while Darvel had Greg Vernon(2) and Murray Johnston to thank for a 3-2 triumph over Blairgowrie.

And a battling Wishaw secured a last 32 place with a 5-3 penalty kick shootout win over Armadale Thistle after Paul McGeogh and Dean Kindlan goals earned a 2-2 regulation time draw.