VALE OF CLYDE team boss Ian Currie watched his players fail to earn a New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup third round trip to face 11-times record winners of the competition Auchinleck Talbot before admitting frankly: “It’s maybe just as well we lost today.”

A brace of first-half goals from Bob Davidson enabled near neighbours Cambuslang Rangers to run out deserved 2-0 Fullarton Park winners in their second round head-to-head with a Tin Pail side whose inability to offer more than token resistance clearly irked Currie looking on from the sidelines.

He blasted: “I work week in and week out with these guys and I know they are capable of far better than what they showed out there today.

“Just having skill is not enough without the work ethic, competitive spirit and sheer desire to be better than your opponents but those qualities were sadly lacking in us today.

“Good luck to Cambuslang in the next round but it’s maybe for the best that we are not going to Auchinleck because serving up a a similar display today would have seen us take an embarrassing hiding.”

His frustration was understandable in light of the Vale looking a shadow of the team that came close to lifting the Euroscot Eng Sectional League Cup earlier this season.

Currie’s men had beaten Cambuslang 2-0 en route to a cup final appearance but they had never looked capable of conjuring up.

Part of the credit must go to the much improved Wee Gers whose defensive backbone of Paul McLaughlin and Martin Brogan were totally dominant throughout in helping to ensure the home team’s attacking ventures came to nothing.

The visitors had built up a head of steam from the first whistle to make Jon Connolly the busier of the two goalkeepers, so it was no real surprise when they got their noses in front around the 20th minute mark.

A bout of pressure had saw the Vale No.1 twice block scoring efforts but the second rebound fell to Jamie McLeod who made space to cut the ball back for one-time Rangers signing Davidson and he cleverly stepped inside his marker before despatching a low shot beyond Connolly for 1-0.

Tails up, Cambuslang went looking for further goals but could have conceded an equaliser when Vale midfielder Kevin Hammill scorned a scoring opportunity, however they made the most of their escape by doubling their lead from the penalty spot after a twisting McLeod run saw “Messi” upended by a robust Dean Currie challenge.

Davidson stepped forward to net his second goal of the game with aplomb and he was to pass up a glorious opportunity for his hat-trick early in the second period when blasting a Kieron Chalmers drive high over from close range.

Vale gaffer Currie’s attempts to inject some freshness into his players with substitutions and changes to their playing formation saw the Vale dominate territorially in the closing stages even though Cambuslang continued to look the likelier of the teams to score.

That they didn’t despite experienced Tin Pail defender Lee Morrison getting his marching orders in 77 minutes for his second yellow card offence of the day was the only complaint from Wee Gers boss Paul McColl afterwards.

He said: “We really should have scored more goals given the chances created, but I cannot be too unhappy about beating a higher league team on their own turf.

“Davidson showed touches of class today while McLaughlin was outstanding defensively and

did exactly what we ask him to do in getting his head to crosses and making tackles.

“I had concerns beforehand over the movement and scoring prowess of the Vale striker Scott McManus but he never got a sniff thanks to Bryan.

“Auchinleck in the next round will be a huge test but I want to be going up against teams of their calibre and so do my players.”

Cumnock secured their New Coin Holdings third-round place with a 3-1 win at home to Rossvale whose consolation counter in the final minute from Chris McQuade could not mask the superiority enjoyed by the Ayrshiremen whose goals came from Paul Burns (pen), Aiden Malone and Raymond Montgomery.

Eleven other fixtures survived the elements, inclusive of a solitary Super Premier Division contest at Greenfield Park which saw Pollok extend their lead atop the standings to four points with a hard fought 1-0 victory over Shettleston.

A first half Davie Winters score proved decisive when he capitalised on a long kick-out by goalkeeper Jordan Longmuir to rifle a low shot beyond Town No.1 Bryn Halliwell, however fortune smiled on the league leaders second half when a Miguel Blanco shot crashed off the underside of the crossbar and appeared to cross the line only for whistler Graham Grainger to wave away the home side’s goal claims.

Super First Division frontrunners Largs Thistle also profited from their game going ahead after Bryan Slaven’s men opened up a four-point gap on the chasing pack through a 3-1 win at home to Kilsyth Rangers with Kevin Struthers (2) and Alan Frizzell on target.

Kilwinning Rangers had Dean Agnew, Martyn Campbell, Liam McGuiness and Ross Stewart to thank for underlining their title credentials with a 4-0 triumph away to Shotts Bon Accord while likewise successful on their travels were Cumbernauld United for whom Stephen McDonald, Davie Dickson and Dom O’Halloran were on the mark in a 3-0 defeat of Maybole.

Neither was there any sign of away day blues in the Central First Division where visiting sides held the upper hand including three of the leading title challenging quartet.

Renfrew maintained pole position through Darren Jones and Marc McDaid netting in a 2-0 win against Dunipace, while Wishaw stayed on their heels after coming out on top in a ding-dong thriller with Neilston.

The Brig O’Lea men were twice ahead through Daniel Mackay and Derek Kennedy but conceded goals to Ross McGeachie, Mark Daly and Paul McGeoch (2) to lose 4-2.

St Roch's racked up a 5-0 win over Carluke Rovers with counters from Babacourra Mussa, John Sweeney, Robert McGuire, Jordan Logan and T.J. McLuskey, while a brace of goals from veteran Jamie Docherty and a rare Eddie Walton score helped Maryhill pick up all three points against Lesmahagow.

It was honours even in the only Second Division encounter to take place as Glasgow Perthshire’s 2-0 advantage from Jordan McLean and Paul McLaughlin strikes was cancelled out by goals from Ashfield duo Michael Giblin and Joe McBride.

WEEKEND RESULTS

ETHXenergy Scottish Junior Cup fourth round: Camelon 1 Dundee North End 0, Glenrothes 4 Hermes 5.

New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup second round: Vale of Clyde 0 Cambuslang Rangers 2, Cumnock 3 Rossvale 1.

McBookie.com Super Premier Division: Shettleston 0 Pollok 1.

McBookie.com Super First Division: Shotts Bon Accord 0 Kilwinning Rangers 4, Largs Thistle 3 Kilsyth Rangers 1, Maybole 0 Cumbernauld Utd 3.

McBookie.com Central First Division: Carluke Rovers 0 St Roch's 5, Dunipace 0 Renfrew 2, Lesmahagow 2 Maryhill 3, Neilston 2 Wishaw 4.

McBookie.com Central Second Division: Glasgow Perthshire 2 Ashfield 2.

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League: Craigmark 1 Lugar Boswell 5.