JUNIOR football was reeling last night following the shock resignation of Pollok boss Rab Sneddon and his No2 Harry Erwin.

The announcement is bound to stun Lok fans as the team remains firmly in the hunt to win three trophies this season including the Scottish Cup.

Club officials said both men had cited family and work commitments for their joint decision to walk away from Newlandsfield.

Sneddon and Erwin have enjoyed four years at the Pollok helm. Despite their decision to quit, however, both men have agreed to stay on until the end of the season.

A Lok official said: "There are still three trophies up for grabs and winning them would be a perfect send off for Rab and Harry."

The news came as bookies' favourites Lok and their Super Premier rivals Beith managed to stay well apart when West Region officials made both the quarter-final and semi-final pairings of the Whyte & Mackay Cup.

The Glasgow cracks, looking to get their hands on the prestigious silverware for a fifth time, landed an initial home tie against Troon whose only trophy success came at Newlandsfield in 2005.

Beith were every bit as fortunate in coming first out of the hat to face Rutherglen Glencairn.

Last season's beaten finalists Kilbirnie Ladeside have a clash with near neighbours Dalry Thistle to negotiate while relegated Super First Division outfit Lesmahagow await the visit of high-flying Ayrshire District championship contenders Girvan.

The ifs and buts semi-final combinations are: Lesmahagow or Girvan v Pollok or Troon, Beith or Rutherglen Glencairn v Dalry Thistle or Kilbirnie Ladeside.

Recently installed Beith coach Ian Ashcroft, Whyte & Mackay Cup medal winner during his playing days with Pollok, expressed delight at avoiding his former club.

"They were the one team we didn't want to meet at this stage so we have to be reasonably happy with how things panned out," he said.

"That said, ours is definitely the tougher half of the draw because Glencairn are no pushovers after winning their Sectional League Cup.

"And if we were fortunate enough to get past that hurdle then a local derby against either Dalry or Kilbirnie is next on the agenda, and nobody can predict how those games might go."

No dates have been fixed for the last eight ties or, indeed, for the Central League Cup and Ayrshire Cup whose draws were also made this week.

Lanark United's defence of their Central crown faces a stiff test away to Vale of Clyde. However beaten finalists last time out, Rob Roy, landed it easier by comparison in receiving a home tie against Shettleston.

Meanwhile, the only surviving Super Premier sides, Arthurlie and Shotts Bon Accord had mixed fortunes.

The Barrhead outfit host minnows Stonehouse Violet and relegated Shotts will travel to Saracen Park to face giantkilling Ashfield.

Most of the big guns are still standing in the Ayrshire Cup in which holders Irvine Meadow are strongly tipped to secure a semi-final place at the expense of Ardrossan Winton Rovers.

On a sadder note , the world of Junior football has good cause to mourn the passing of legendary Celtic figure Tommy Burns yesterday.

In his younger years, Tommy was one of a number of promising Celtic signings thought to need toughening up and he was farmed out to the Juniors at Maryhill.

He certainly learned a few valuable lessons playing alongside the hardy likes of Gerry Collins, Paddy Turner and Abie Monaghan.

And Tommy was never one for turning his back on these Junior roots, because whether as a manager at Kilmarnock or Celtic, he was always amenable to requests for sending teams to play in testimonials.

A true gent and a huge loss to the game at all levels.