A WOEFUL second-half display saw Beith throw away their hopes of a second Scottish Junior Cup triumph in three seasons.

Former Arbroath striker Connor Birse profited from some horrific defensive lapses to net a well-taken hat-trick as rank outsiders Lochee United recovered from going 1-0 down to run out 4-1 winners at Bellsdale Park.

The defeat was as surreal as it was unexpected to the extent that even the Ayrshire outfit’s normally raucous fans were stunned into silence at the sight of their team unravelling so horribly in front of them and in truth the most diehard of their number would have struggled to put up a case for Beith’s right to a semi-final place.

Disappointed boss Johnny Millar certainly didn’t attempt to gloss over his side’s shortcomings when giving his post-match summations.

He said: "It’s difficult to fathom out or find the words to explain why we can play so badly in a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie at home but I’m not going to make excuses because quite simply the best team won on the day.

“Our big-game players just never turned up and it says everything that I reckon only two of the guys at best deserve pass marks for their performances, but we’ve had a very frank discussion after the final whistle and they are hurting to have let themselves as well as a lot of other people connected with the club down.

“Coming across as a good loser is not a feeling that sits well with me but I will say Lochee were worthy winners and wish them the very best of luck in the semi-finals.”

Beith were in the ascendancy from the off and came agonisingly close to an early breakthrough when Ross McPherson's faint touch to an intended pass-back took the ball past giant Lochee goalkeeper Mark Fotheringham but also past the upright.

But a goal – and a fortuitous one at that – was only delayed until seven minutes in when a Darren Christie flick inadvertently caught the hand of visiting defender Greg Kirk to earn a soft penalty kick award that Connor McGuinness belted home.

Any hopes of the home team building on their 1-0 lead were dashed just five minutes later when skipper John Sheridan got into an untidy fankle with defensive partner Mark McLaughlin which led to the ball being shuttled to the unmarked Birse whose low shot into the far corner of net beat Beith keeper Stephen Grindley all ends up.

Back came Beith with Paul Frize, Joe Bradley and Ross McPherson all going close, but half time was reached with the teams locked at 1-1.

A bitingly cold wind at their backs and shooting downhill had Lochee showing more of an attacking threat when the action resumed and they got their noses in front after 53 minutes when Birse set up team-mate Grant Lawson to rifle a low shot beyond Grindley.

Beith’s immediate response was a Darren Christie shot saved at full stretch by Fotherinham but their pushing in search of an equaliser proved their undoing as Lochee strikers Birse and Scott McComiskie broke upfield with pace and Birse swept home his team-mate’s sublime pass across the goalmouth for 3-1.

And the hitman scored his third and Lochee’s fourth goal with 10 minutes left to play with a wonderful dinked finish over Grindley after being put clean through on goal.

Beith’s agony did not end there because a late attacking venture saw visiting defender Kirk again penalised for hand ball but McGuiness’s second spot kick of the afternoon lacked both the placing and ferocity of his first allowing Fotheringham to dive right and parry the ball to safety.

The final whistle saw Lochee's players celebrate wildly and Beith striker Ross “Archie" McPherson admitted: "The defeat is harder to take because we were confident of getting through at home but if you cannot expect to win big Cup games if you don’t turn up on the day.

“Not a lot went right for us and changing to three at the back to try and get back into the game saw Lochee break with great effect and punish us.

“It’s a sore one but we have to get over it quickly and get ourselves up for a title challenge.”

Elsewhere, early goals from skipper Willie Lyle and top scorer Graham Wilson put Auchinleck Talbot in control away to Carnoustrie Panmure and the Ayrshiremen doggedly shut up shop to secure both a 2-0 victory and a place in the semi-finals.

However, Ayrshire neighbours Hurlford United had to settle for a 2-2 draw away to Bo’ness United.

A dream start for Darren Henderson’s side arrived through a Glen Mitchell goal at Newtown Park but it all went sour shortly afterwards when brother Danny Mitchell saw red for a challenge on Bo’ness midfielder Ryan Stevenson.

A battling rearguard enabled Hurlford to hold firm until 15 minutes from time when Scott Gibb levelled for the East Region side but Mitchell’s second goal of the afternoon looked to have clinched a memorable victory only for Bo’ness to earn a replay with a Calum Scott free-kick.

Yet another last-eight tie set to go ahead next weekend is the meeting of Wishaw and Rob Roy after the Lanarkshire outfit secured their last place with a a 3-1 triumph over fifth-round opponents Yoker Athletic in an eventful Holm Park clash.

Wishy went 1-0 up through a penalty kick converted by their veteran goalkeeper Sandy Thomson and their lead was doubled by James Coffey before the Whe Ho were thrown a lifeline with a spot kick of their own.

That man Thomson pulled off a marvellous stop to deny Ryan Hynes and the home side were left to rue that miss as Ryan Smillie added a third goal before Greg Maitland netted a late score to put a better complexion on the scoreline for Yoker.

WEEKEND RESULTS: Scottish Junior Cup Quarter Finals.Beith 1 Lochee Utd 4, Carnoustie Panmure 0 Auchinleck Talbot 2, Bo’ness Utd 2 Hurlford Utd 2. 4th Round.Yoker Athletic 1 Wishaw 3. McBookie.com Super Premier Division.Girvan 0 Clydebank 3, Glenafton 1 Kilwinning Rangers 1, Arthurlie 0 Pollok 1, Kilbirnie Ladeside 1 Cumnock1. McBookie.com Super First Division. Shettleston 0 Irvine Meadow 3, Troon 0 Largs Thistle 2, Petershill 1 Larkhall Thistle 0, Cambuslang Rangers 5 Maryhill 1, Kilsyth Rangers 3 Renfrew2, Cumbernauld Utd 3 Kello Rovers 0, Darvel 1 Rutherglen Glencairn 2.McBookie.com Central First Division. Rossvale 1 Benburb 1, Port Glasgow = Forth Wanderers 0, Blantyre Vics 2 St Rochs 2, East Kilbride Thistle 2 Lesmahagow 0, Thorniewood Utd 2 Greenock 3, Shotts Bon Accord 2 Neilston 3.

McBookie.com Central Second Division. Ashfield 0 Lanark Utd 0, Royal Albert 3 St Anthonys 0, Vale of Clyde 0 Carluke Rovers1, Bellshill Athletic 2 Dunipace 0, Johnstone Burgh 2 Vale of Leven 2, Gartcairn 9 Newmains Utd 0. McBookie.com Ayrshire District League. Annbank Utd 1 Ardeer Thistle 4, Irvine Vics 3 Dalry Thistle 1, Lugar Boswell 5 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 3, Muirkirk 2 Saltcoats Vics 2.