Christmas is coming but please don’t mention gifts to Renfrew’s management team of Colin Clark, Martin Ferry and Jimmy Quigley.

All former defenders in their playing days, they were left aghast looking on from the dugout area as their Frew backline simply fell apart in the closing 20 minutes and made presents of three goals in their Super First Division clash against Cumbernauld United.

To go from 2-0 up to 2-3 down really is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory even if credit is due to visiting boss George Shaw’s interval team talk.

That half-time exchange transformed the visitors into a side whose positivity and energy throughout the second half was in glaring contrast to their previous 45 minutes display.

Renfrew co-boss Colin Clark was having none of that as he loudly lambasted his playing charges behind closed dressing room doors.

Hed said: “It has to be all our own doing when our keeper Dale Burgess is only called into action four times during the entire game and three of them end with him picking the ball out of his net.

“The galling thing is nobody has been close enough to lay a glove on any of their goalscorers and that’s because we turned into jellyfish from the moment Cumbernauld started coming at us in the second half and it was there in our body language.

“Defending strongly isn’t just about throwing yourself into tackles as you can also be brave by showing for the ball and taking responsibility and we simply didn’t have enough character out there today.

“At 2-2 there was only one team going to win the game and it wasn’t us.”

Renfrew undoubtedly held the upper hand early on yet were probably fortunate to survive legitimate penalty kick claims when Marc McDaid brought down United winger Pat McCabe inside the area and a corner kick was awarded from which Ryan Tiffaney headed against the crossbar.

The opening goal duly arrived on the half-hour mark after Frew front pair Chris Zok and Scott Morton combined to set up McDaid and he curled a beauty of a shot beyond the reach of United goalkeeper Connor Boyle.

Several near things ensued approaching half-time, but there was no further scoring until one minute into the restart when a pass into Zok near the byeline saw the striker make space to fire a low driven cross that Morton gleefully tapped home for 2-0 .

Colin Forbes came within inches of making the scoreline read 3-0 with a shot just over the crossbar.

But thoughts of the game being over as a contest were soon dispelled as Cumbernauld with experienced ace Tony Stevenson bossing the midfield exchanges began to territorially dominate.

And it was the former Petershill signing whose pass set up unmarked striker Murray Louden to net at the back post and halve his side’s arrears.

Stevenson came close to an equaliser with a fierce shot brilliantly turned away by Burgess.

However, United’s second goal was only delayed until the 81st minute when Loudon was again all on his own to level matters at 2-2.

Cumbernauld’s fightback suffered a blip when one of their best players Simon Eeles was dismissed for a second yellow card offence.

His team-mates, though, made light of their numerical disadvantage to score a third goal after a break upfield saw a left wing cross being headed home by veteran Davie Dickson.

Renfrew piled men forward in looking to get back on level terms however their efforts earned nothing more than a red card foe Jamie Benton after he tangled with a United defender.

Goalscoring hero Dixie said: "I thought we were going to crumble when Renfrew went 2-0 up, but our first goal changed the game completely and we managed to dig out a great victory.

That’s us now on the fringes of a promotion place and a lot of credit is due to the gaffer George Shaw as he’s come in with Craig Tully to give the place a huge lift.”

Former Dundee and Partick Thistle star turn Shaw was pleased as punch with his side’s stirring comeback.

He said: "I felt we were unlucky to be trailing at half-time but still changed things to get Tony Stevenson playing further up the pitch and he made a huge difference .

“There’s a lot to be happy about but we also have to be mindful of our faults such as allowing the Renfrew player to turn and set up their second goal."

Synthetic grass surfaces enabled two other games to go ahead on a day when ice-bound pitches decimated the Junior fixture card

Blantyre Vics, playing in the sumptuous surroundings of New Douglas Park thanks to a magnanimous gesture from Senior neighbours Hamilton Accies, earned a very creditable 2-2 draw with East Region big guns Bo’ness United in their previously postponed Scottish Junior Cup 3rd Round contest.

Thoughts of a shock upset were raised when Jordan O’Donnell burst clear to guide the ball home and put the Vics 1-0 ahead but the Bo’ness riposte was goals from Fraser Keast and Jack Simpson that looked to have clinched a last6 32 place until O’Donnell’s second goal of the game ensured the teams have it all to do again next Saturday.

Townhead Park’s new playing surface accommodating the Super Premier Division contest between Cumnock and Arthurlie will have delighted visiting supporters after the Barrhead outfit came from behind to win 2-1.

Nock’s midweek loan signing Josh Watt fired the Ayrshiremen in front however an even greater debut impact was made by seasoned striker John Gemmell who twice headed home goals to earn three points and move Stevie Kerrigan’s men to fourth top spot in the standings.

WEEKEND RESULTS: Scottish Junior Cup.Third Round. Blantyre Vics 2 Bo’ness United 2.

McBookie.com Super Premier Division.

Cumnock 1 Arthurlie 2

McBookie.com Super First Division

Renfrew 2 Cumbernauld Utd 3