Junior followers will hopefully resist the temptation to make hard-edged judgments on Saturday’s pre-season friendly contests that barely amounted to decent sparring for a number of clubs.

These games are training exercises and should be interpreted as nothing more than a means to hone match fitness levels ahead of the competitive action kicking off three weeks down the line in early August.

It further emphasises how results are bound to be light in meaning when many sides are deprived of key players through summer holiday commitments so to be critical or otherwise is simply inappropriate.

Not least because one has to ask how is it possible to retain a truly objective perspective when team bosses select a rash of trialists in their line-ups seeking to identify potential new signings while at the same time being lavish with their use of substitutions.

Such was the lot of St Anthony's co-gaffer Ronnie McDonald who fielded fully 20 players in suffering a 5-1 defeat away to Irvine Meadow.

Without stating the obvious, it proved to be a game of two halves after the Ants had shocked their hosts by opening the scoring through a John McGowan goal and had reached the interval with the scoreline tied at 1-1 after an equaliser from Medda newcomer Greg Vernon.

But making all of ten changes during the break saw the visitors come unstuck on the resumption and they fell behind to a Brian Henderson own goal before three further scores netted by Vernon, Ben Black and Graham Muir in the closing five minutes brought about a heavy 5-1 scoreline.

Glasgow’s other saintly outfit, St Roch's, also came off second best to Ayrshire opponents.

However, there was likewise much to savour about the Candy Rock’s display in going down 1-0 at home to Scottish Junior Cup kingpins Beith for whom Thomas Collins bagged the only goal of the game with just three minutes on the clock.

A short hop to Springburn would have seen, Petershill gaffer Willie Patterson’s close season transfer dealings give rise to future promise as new boys Chris Hall and Jason Hardie were on target in a 2-1 victory over rivals Glasgow Perthshire whose own striking recruit Chris Smith got his name on the scoresheet yet arguably the most eye-catching outcome was at nearby Saracen Park where a Chris Moulangou hat trick and counter from Kris Griffin helped lowly Ashfield rack up a 4-0 defeat of last season’s Central Second Division champions, Forth Wanderers.

Arthurlie’s battling qualities were to the fore in coming back from 2-0 down at home to Craigroyston to win 3-2 through goals from Ryan McGregor and substitutes Gary Smith (pen) and Martin Curren however a mixed bag of results awaited other West clubs in head to heads with East Region opponents.

Larry McMahon scored for Largs Thistle in a 1-1 draw with Fauldhouse Utd while Brian Jack and Graham Gracie goals could not prevent Larkhall Thistle losing 3-2 at home to Blackburn Utd and an even heavier defeat looked on the cards as Rutherglen Glencairn found themselves 4-0 down through at Arniston Rangers before Paddy Cullen and Jordan Marshall netted late goals to put a better complexion on the scoreline.

Auchinleck Talbot fared better as a Mark Shankland brace saw the West Region big guns run out 2-1 winners over Newtongrange Star while Kilsyth Rangers had Franny Kelly , Chris Reid and Nikky Prentice goals to thank for a 3-2 victory over Armadale Thstle and a hat trick from lively front man Kevin Watt along with a Chris Duff score ensued a 4-1 scoreline for Rob Roy away to Civil Service Strollers .

There was also a mixed return for Junior sides in match-ups with youthful Senior X1’s after East Kilbride Thistle overcame Stranraer 5-3 through Aaron Connolly ,Chris Faulds ,Barry Devine (2), and Adam Boyle goals however Renfrew lost out 4-3 to St Mirren despite counters from Lee Cochrane , Scott Morton and Chris Zok

The always competitive annual pre-season showdown between Irvine Vics and Cambuslang Rangers went the way of the Ayrshiremen whose first half lead earned by Eddie Ablorh was cancelled out by Jordan McGroarty only for the Wee Gers to suffer a 6-5 penalty kicks reverse.

Meanwhile , crunch time beckons for Auchinleck Talbot , Beith and Girvan who are among a total of six Junior clubs whose names will go into the hat when the William Hill Scottish Cup 1st and 2nd preliminary round draws are made at Coldstream Castle later today.

Weekend friendly results: Arniston Rangers 4 Rutherglen Glencairn 2, Petershill 2 Glasgow Perthshire 1, Irvine Vics 1 Cambuslang Rangers 1(Vics win 6-5 pens), Arthurlie 3 Craigroyston 2, Blackburn Utd 3 Larkhall Thistle 2, Thorniewood Utd v Clydesdale Ams , Glenafton 5 Darvel 1,Dalbeattie Star 1 Shettleston 2, St Rochs 0 Beith 1, Auchinleck Talbot 2 Newtongrange Star 1, Civil Servant Strollers 1 Rob Roy 4, Largs Thistle 1 Fauldhouse Utd 1, Renfrew 3 St Mirren Under 20’s 4, Ashfield 4 Forth Wanderers 0, Kilsyth Rangers 3 Armadale Thistle 1, Thorn Athletic 3 Greenock 3,Neilston 2 Barrhead Under 21’s 0, Irvine Meadow 5 St Anthonys 1, Whitburn 4 Blantyre Vics 0,

Playing tonight: BSC Glasgow v St Roch's, Largs Thistle v St Mirren Under 20’s, Renfrew v Westpark Under 21’s.