RELEGATION battling Petershill have been dealt a blow ahead of this weekend’s vital Super Premier Division clash with Troon.

Willie Patterson’s men continue to harbour slim hopes of avoiding the drop even though survival may depend upon them picking up at least

five points from their final three league outings, but their task has been made all the more difficult as they will without key players Jamie Brough and Ciaran McAleer for the visit of Troon.

The duo are paying the price for being sent off during last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Glenafton along with versatile defender Fraser Chisholm who remains available for selection against the Ayrshiremen after appealing his dismissal.

Queen's Park loan signing McAleer is facing up to the prospect of a two-match ban for his red card, while Brough’s two yellow card offences could well have brought the curtain down on his season after it was discovered he had incurred an automatic three-game ban for going through the disciplinary points threshold.

Peasy supporters are keeping fingers crossed their team may yet clamber clear by overhauling either Shettleston, Beith or Arthurlie but the Barrhead men opened up a four-point gap on their Springburn rivals last night by gaining three points with a resounding 3-1 victory over ETHXenergy Scottish Junior Cup finalists Pollok.

Arthurlie gaffer Stevie Kerrigan had referred to the Newlandsfield contest as a must-win game and his players responded in the best possible manner by forging a 2-0 first-half lead through two terrific Gary Carroll goals.

The former Cumbernauld United striker scored his first after pouncing on a long ball forward and drilling a low shot into the far corner of the net. He then doubled his side’s advantage with a well-executed volley beyond Lok goalkeeper Jordan Longmuir.

Lok boss Tony McInally made two changes to his winning semi-final line up with a recall for Mark McLennan as well as a start for Kieron McAleenan but any neutral would have believed there had been wholesale changes given that his team looked strangely lacklustre and their fate was sealed when Lie defender Steven Tart added a third goal after the break much to the delight of visiting fans who went home happy despite Chris Walker’s late counter for the home side..

Their surprise demise could have been fatal for Pollok’s title aspirations but for league leaders Auchinleck Talbot going down to a 2-1 defeat away to Kilbirnie Ladeside. In-form winger Caolan McAleer and Martin Grehan were on target before Bot hitman Graham Wilson put a better complexion on the scoresheet by pulling a goal back from the penalty spot.

In other games, Glenafton recovered from falling behind to a Gary McCann strike for bottom-markers Irvine Meadow to take all three points at Meadow Park with goals from David Gray and Darren McGill, while Beith picked up another precious point with a 0-0 draw at Hurlford United.

Clydebank were the winners in more ways than one in the Super First Division title stakes after crushing Shotts Bon Accord 4-0 with Joel Kasabundi(2), Mark Burbridge and Robbie Halliday on the mark, while rival contenders Cumnock and Kilwinning Rangers were dropping two points apiece in playing out a 0-0 stalemate at Rosebank Park.

Table-topping Largs Thistle had their game against Ardrossan Winton Rovers abandoned following a serious injury to a Largs player while Greenock had doubles from Ryan Begley and Kenny Munro to thank for a 4-0 victory over Rutherglen Glencairn.

Atop the Central First Division pile, Renfrew’s terrific winning run was ended by a 1-0 reverse by Maryhill but arguably the game of the night was at the James McGrory Stadium in the Garngad where St Rochs and Rossvale played out a high scoring 3-3 draw.

John Sweeney, playing his last match before a two-game ban kicks in set up Baboucar Mussa to fire the Candy Rock ahead, only for Fraser Team to level matters and the Rossvale striking ace again came up with the goods after Jordan Logan had fired the home side 2-1 in front.

Jay Mackay for Rossvale appeared to have secured a win for Brian McGinty’s men until a 93rd minute-headed goal by St Rochs substitute Chris McFadyen ensured the spoils were shared.