A NUMBER of West Region clubs have lost out on the prolific scoring talents of Chris Mackie after the feted hitman confirmed he has signed for East Region cracks Bo’ness United.

His telephone has hardly stopped ringing since he announced last weekend that he was looking to come back into Junior game after an enforced time-out due to work commitments.

The 30-year-old journeyman striker's list of former clubs include Beith, St Anthony's, Dumbarton, Clydebank, Rob Roy.

In fact, the initial initial word on the grapevine was that the Springburn outfit were winning the race for his signature, however Mackie has now decided his future lies due East.

He said: “I was very close to agreeing a deal to rejoin the Peasy where I previously enjoyed terrific times, but Bo’ness manager Alan McGonnigal proved to be very persuasive during our discussions.

“And the East Region holds a great attraction as I’ve never played through there, so ultimately the prospect of visiting new venues and coming up against different opponents swayed my mind..

“I also happen to believe Bo’ness are one of the few clubs capable of helping me realise my long held dream of winning the Scottish Junior Cup and that feeling was only underlined when I travelled through and met the players for the first time last night.

“Theirs is a dressing room that oozes quality. And having my playing future settled is a weight of my mind and now I cannot wait to play my first game.”

Believed to be one of Mackie’s many disappointed suitors from through in these parts are ambitious Junior newcomers Gartcairn, who were more successful in agreeing a loan deal with BSC Glasgow for former Queens Park defender Grant Mosson.

And yet another player heading for pastures new is Rob Roy midfielder Jamie Hunter, who is believed to be on the verge of dropping down a couple of Divisions to join Central First Division leading lights Rossvale.

Petershill’s reputed approach for Mackie is all the more understandable given gaffer Willie Patterson’s determination to strengthen a striking hand shorn of prolific scorer Stephen McGladrigan for the foreseeable future after he underwent cruciate ligament surgery last week.

The Peasy await the visit of Auchinleck Talbot tomorrow in one of the top-rated New Coin Holdings Cup contests and Patterson wants his playing charges to put up a far better showing than they did when the Ayrshire kingpins inflicted a 4-1 Super Premier Division defeat last month.

He said: "Talbot played well but we didn’t help ourselves by making a whole catalogue of basic mistakes on the day .

“Our display was a massive disappointment not least because Paul Kelly and I know this group of Petershill players are better than that .

“But the trick is to get them all playing at the top of their game at one and the same time.. especially going up against the top sides like Talbot.”

Mackie’s other former clubs are similarly involved in tough New Coin Holdings Cup affairs, though a rejuvenated Beith are strongly tipped to make home advantage tell when Lesmahagow head down to Bellsdale Park.

St Anthony's, with skipper Ronnie McDonald available for selection as his red carding last Saturday does not incur a suspension, could prevail away to Craigmark.

And in-form Rob Roy appear a decent bet to win away to Carluke Rovers, particularly if Danny Boyle & Co can shackle the threat of Rovers strikers Ian Watt and Ryan Smillie.

Bellshill Athletic cannot afford to be suffering any hangover from last weekend’s Scottish Junior Cup first round replay exit at the hands of Wishaw when making the short hop to face another Lanarkshire near neighbour Royal Albert.

And one cannot help but think Clydebank’s rebuilt young side will receive a serious test of their mettle away to Rutherglen Glencairn despite the dismal current form shown by Willie Harvey’s men - no wins in their last five outings.

Bankies boss Budgie McGhie warned: “Glencairn drew three of those games and are due a change of luck so my players need to be at the top of our game or it could come against us.”