Super Premier Division frontrunners Rob Roy keep coming up with ways of setting themselves apart from their title challenging rivals.

Outsiders were not the only ones predicting an upset was on the cards when the Kirkintilloch outfit prepared to face Cumnock on Saturday with a line-up shorn of five regulars by a decimating flu bug and with manager Stewart Maxwell listed as a substitute.

Nonetheless, it was the Ayrshiremen’s turn to succumb to a group of players who simply refuse to accept the generally held opinion that their occupancy of pole position is only a temporary one.

This severely weakened Rabs even survived playing out the closing 16 minutes with only ten men following Gavin Mackie’s red card dismissal to run out 1-0 winners thanks to Kevin Green tucking away a controversial penalty.

Not surprising therefore to find team boss Maxi in buoyant mood last night as he readied his troops to begin a two- week hiatus from playing action.

He said: "I've a lot to be pleased about considering we are only at the halfway stage in our league campaign yet have amassed the same points total and won more games than we did in the whole of last season.

“The players served up another good performance against Cumnock yet in light of the background circumstances I would say our 1-0 victory was arguably our best result of the season so far.

“Late on Friday night I was looking at the prospect of having only ten fit players to choose from but thankfully Kevin Watt and Kevin Green improved enough overnight to help us get a team out on the pitch.

“Everyone played their part with youngsters Jordan McGuire and Luke Whelan catching the eye but the most satisfying aspect for myself was the guys and our goalkeeper Michael McKinven putting up the shutters to get a second clean sheet on the spin.

”Michael came in from the cold after Jordan Brown went down with this flu bug before the previous week’s 2-0 win over Arthurlie and he’s been nothing short of excellent in both games.”

It had been muted during the close season that Troon, Pollok and Kilbirnie Ladeside would emerge as the main challengers to the four year long dominance of reigning champions Auchinleck Talbot so Maxi takes great delight in having two unfancied sides -Rob Roy and Glenafton - leading the way.

He said: "Hand on heart, I can’t say if any other team will come with a winning run of game to figure in the mix but right now it’s shaping as a title race involving Auchinleck, Glenafton, Beith and ourselves.

“We lost at home to Beith and have yet to play Talbot and the Glens so you would have to say the games between us are going to be hugely decisive in the scheme of things, but nobody at Rob Roy is running scared of the prospect. “

Beith’s 2-0 weekend triumph over Arthurlie through goals from Darren Christie and Thomas Collins lifted Johnny Millar’s men three places in the standings.

And they could soar to fifth top spot when hosting the visit of Troon in one of only two West Region fixtures (Arthurlie v Kilwinning Rangers is the other ) scheduled to take place on Christmas Eve.

And further ahead, one hears of a couple of attractive friendly matches arranged for Tuesday, December 27, December to provide some festive fare for Junior fans.

Ayrshire District League leaders Ardrossan Winton Rovers will take on Auchinleck at 2pm while Beith head through to face Clydebank at Holm Park (1.45PM).

Fixtures for Saturday, December 24 (Kick-offs 1.45pm) McBookie.com Super Premier Division. Beith v Troon, Arthurlie v Kilwinning Rangers.