It wasn’t meant to be like this for new Rossvale Junior manager Brian McGinty’s first game in charge.

A fairly lethargic showing that culminated in a 1-0 defeat by Renfrew and a first league defeat in six games can hardly be described as the stuff dreams are made of.

Particularly when a few more degrees of difficulty have been added to the Bishopbriggs club’s hopes of promotion from the Central First Division yet alone title success.

That's the clear scenario given league leaders Renfrew are now six points to the good - albeit from playing two games more.

But of greater concern is the potential collateral damage from Vale’s slip-up along with an unexpected reverse suffered by second-placed Wishaw in losing at home to Larkhall Thistle that appears to have opened the door for Maryhill and Johnstone Burgh to come into the run-in straight and make it a five horse race for the line.

Pre-match, Gints and No.2 Stevie Aitchison delighted in putting their players through an array of orchestrated warm-up drills however the smiles were to be wiped from their faces just 90 seconds into their Rossvale dugout debut when Frew striker Darren Jones - the best player afield - netted what proved to be the only goal of the game.

The home team’s failure to deal with a high “up and under” into their penalty box led to the ball breaking for Jones whose first scoring attempt was blocked, but he adroitly volleyed the rebound past goalkeeper Jon Connolly at the second time of asking.

Gints admitted afterwards: "I wanted the guys to start on the front foot, but losing a goal so early on acted to deflate our confidence and it’s probably true to say we never played for the opening half hour or so.

“Fraser Team and Ross Hepburn came close to levelling matters, but the scoreline remained unchanged. However, a change of shape at half-time brought an improvement in our play and again with the introductions from the bench of Kirk Forbes and Jay Mackay.

“We gained the upper hand and I felt Fraser was denied a stonewall penalty kick, but Renfrew defended their box well and we just couldn’t find the spark to break them down.

“The players don’t lack for quality, but we’ve not shown it enough today and I also felt a telling factor was the absence of our skipper Rhys Donaldson, whose organisation and communication skills were badly missed.”

McGinty’s summations understandably centred on his own side, however any terracing onlooker cannot overlook the display of Frew star turn Jones who was previously on Yoker Athletic's books before a transfer request brought him to step down a division in January.

The unassuming 23-year-old was delighted to grab his match-winning goal and said: "The ball was bobbing about Rossvale’s area and it came my way.

"So I let loose a shot that one of their defenders managed to block, but fortunately the ball sat up nicely and I was able to connect with it early to find the net.

“It’s pleasing to score the winner in such an important game and even better to be holding down a place in this very attack-minded team whose playing style suits me much better than at Yoker.

”My confidence is high through feeling so much a part of things yet I’ve only been here eight weeks.”

The tedium of this top-of-the-table clash came as a surprise to winning gaffer Colin Clark. He declared: "It was not a day for niceties and we played nowhere near our abilities. However, it’s results that win games not performances so I’m happy with how things have panned out.

“After we scored so early on, I felt confident we could add further goals but it wasn’t to be and Rossvale put us under pressure second half, but without really troubling Dale Burgess in our goal.

“Darren’s score was in keeping with the overall 90 minutes and was a bit on the scrappy side but that shouldn’t take away from his own display as I felt his movement and first touch posed a constant threat to Rossvale’s defenders.”

Wishaw’s demise in their own backyard was all the more harder to accept given that Chris McGroarty’s men had led 2-0 through Dan Kindlan’s brace of goals inside the opening half hour before Larkhall roared back with counters from Brian Jack, Niall Reynolds and Davie Reid.

Meanwhile, the shock upset of the day came at Rockburn Park where reigning New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup kingpins Arthurlie were sent crashing out of this season’s competition beaten 4-0 by Super First Division bottom markers Bellshill Athletic for whom John Henderson, Scott Morton, Steven Peat and Michael Brunton were on target for a remarkable win.

In other games , Rutherglen Glencairn’s hopes of avoiding the drop into the Central First Division were boosted by Mark Duffy netting the only goal of the game away to one of his former clubs Shotts Bon Accord while the only other Super First contest to beat the elements ended in a 4-2 Abbey Park triumph for promotion challenging Kilwinning Rangers over Greenock.

Bryan Boylan, Isaac Kerr , Tommy Maitland and Ross Stewart shared the Buffs scoring honours with Marty Orr and Brendan Grana responding for the battling visitors.

In the only Super Premier affair, Dale Keenan, Colin Spence and Jordan Muir were on target as Troon ran out 3-1 winners over Petershill whose consolation counter came from Tony Stevenston.

Forth Wanderers moved third top of the Central Second Division standings with a 2-1 defeat of Gartcairn thanks to scores by Willie McLaren and Barry McGeechan while Girvan's dream of promotion from the Ayrshire District Division were given a shot in the arm by David Jardine and Josh Sloan goals bringing about a 2-0 victory against Kello Rovers.