ROB ROY may have served up a timely response to their doubters by edging a pulsating Scottish Junior Cup contest against Glasgow Perthshire on Saturday.

Recent league defeats at the hands of Troon and Beith had raised questions over what the surprise early season Super Premier Division pacesetters would be like when staring adversity in the face?

Were they for instance capable of doing the business on a notorious Keppoch Park surface despite losing their top-scoring hitman through injury?

And have Stewart Maxwell’s men the look of a team that can continue to top the West Region standings going into the New Year?

Well now we know some of the answers after the Kirkintilloch outfit came away from Possil with a place in the last 32 of this season’s Scottish Junior Cup secured ... proof positive that the Rabs are as adept in using a sledgehammer as a scalpel.

Team boss Maxi said: “We never thought it was going to be easy on a tight pitch whose surface did not lend itself to keeping the ball on the ground and things became even dodgier after a downpour just as the game kicked off.

“The players had been warned to ditch their normal passing style in favour of rolling up the sleeves to fight their corner and it felt as if we were in the right frame of mind when the game kicked off but then we suffered an immediate blow when the Shire scored in their very first attack which gave their players a lift and raised hopes of a shock cup upset.

“Thankfully we were able to hit back quickly through a Davie Barr equaliser and then take the lead through a Willie Sawyers goal though that was his last contribution before being forced off with a thigh muscle injury.

“We made light of Willie’s absence and probably should have scored another goal or two before half-time that would have taken the wind out of their sails but as it was they got things back to 2-2.

“The second half saw the guys get their noses in front again and we looked capable of adding to our lead but credit to the Shire for refusing to give up the contest and they levelled the match at 3-3 with around 10 minutes remaining.

“It could have been curtains if our heads had gone down at that point but the players rallied over the closing stages to earn an 89th minute penalty-kick that Kevin Green tucked away to put us into the fourth round.

“It was a relief to hear the final whistle but all things considered it’s a massive plus to know we can come to places like Keppoch Park and get the right result.”

Next up for league leaders Rob Roy is a Guys Meadow showdown with Kilwinning Rangers, one of the two other Super Premier Division sides along with reigning cup holders Beith, assured of figuring in the fourth round draw being hosted by the Evening Times on Wednesday, November 30.

An 11-point gap exists between the clubs whose early season clash at Abbey Park saw Rob Roy run out 2-1 winners, however Maxi predicts the outcome will be even closer to call this time around particularly as his selection hand is weakened by the absence of top scorer Sawyers.

He insisted: “Signing Carlo Monti and Findlay Frye has made the Buffs a much tougher proposition and nothing should be read into our current league positions.

“We were at the top of our game going into our first meeting whereas Chris Strain and his players were still adjusting to the demands of playing in the top Division but that’s certainly not the case now.

He added: “It’s fair to say we’ll miss Willie who is looking at 2-3 weeks out as a minimum or even longer once the full extent of his thigh injury is known.

“His terrific form this season has made him a first pick on my team sheet every week but I see his absence as an opportunity for the likes of Kevin Watt or Amadou Kassarate to step up to the mark and we also have the option of Shaun Fraser playing further forward.”

Meanwhile, hard on the heels of ex-Motherwell ace Stevie Meechan’s transfer listing at Kilbirnie Ladeside comes word of the managerless club declaring a willingness to listen to offers for former Arthurlie winger Eddie McTernan.

On a sadder note, Junior clubs and players throughout the West Region are wishing a full recovery to the Barrhead outfit’s tough tackling full-back Craig Palmer after he was seriously injured in a work accident at the weekend which has seen him hospitalised in Intensive Care.

SATURDAY'S FIXTURES

(Kick-offs 1.45pm)

Scottish Junior Cup third round: East Kilbride Thistle v Culter, Downfield v Broughty Athletic, Kirrie Thistle v Hill of Beath, Thorniewood Utd v Bonnyrigg Rose, Stonehaven v Greenock, Luncarty v Rosyth, Dundee Violet v Glenafton, Dundee North End v Linlithgow Rose, Lochee Utd v Musselburgh Athletic, Blantyre Vics v Bo’ness United (New Douglas Park), Jeanfield Swifts v Hermes.

Replays: Irvine Meadow v Darvel, Auchinleck Talbot v Pollok.

McBookie.com Super Premier Division: Hurlford Utd v Largs Thistle, Cumnock v Arthurlie, Rob Roy v Kilwinning Rangers.

McBookie.com Super First Division: Petershill v Shotts Bon Accord, Shettleston v Girvan, Clydebank v Kilsyth Rangers, Irvine Vics v Yoker Athletic, Renfrew v Cumbernauld Utd, Rutherglen Glencairn v Maryhill.

McBookie.com Central First Division: Lesmahagow v Benburb, Bellshill Athletic v Larkhall Thistle, Cambuslang Rangers v Neilston, Forth Wanderers v St Roch's, Johnstone Burgh v Rossvale.

McBookie.com Central Second Division: Port Glasgow v Gartcairn, Lanark Utd v Dunipace, Royal Albert v Ashfield, St Anthony's v Carluke Rovers, Vale of Leven v Glasgow Perthshire.

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League: Maybole v Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Lugar Boswell v Craigmark, Annbank Utd v Whitletts Vics, Dalry Thistle v Saltcoats Vics, Muirkirk v Ardeer Thistle.