Superior firepower won Rutherglen Glencairn the right to host the visit of Pollok in the Exsel Group Cup quarter- finals this Wednesday night.

Willie Harvey’s men had been locked on the same points, same goals difference and same goals scored totals as near neighbours Cambuslang Rangers going into Saturday’s final round of Section 4 fixtures.

The Wee Gers did their bit as a Dale Simeone hat-trick along with counters from Allesandro Savarese and Dylan Hendry provided a 5-3 victory over Blantyre Vics.

However, their qualification hopes were quashed by word coming in from the Celsius Stadium of a resounding 6-0 win for the Glens over East Kilbride Thistle.

Scoring braces from Glens trio Jay Mackay, Fraser Team and Jordan Marshall earned the reward of a last-eight place against trophy favourites Pollok, who yielded up their 100 per cent winning ways but remain unbeaten following a hard fought 1-1 draw away to arch rivals Arthurlie.

The Southside cracks had already wrapped up the Exsel Section 5 qualification place ahead of their trip through to Dunterlie which to an extent helps explain an untypically tame opening to this first derby clash of the season.

A torrential downpour had both sets of supporters sheltering under the covered enclosure.

However, there was precious little to get excited about out on the pitch other than a scare for Pollok when Jordan Longmuir dallying over a pass back allowed Ryan Deas to block the goalkeeper’s attempted clearance upfield only for the ball to rebound over the crossbar.

And the Lok No.1 breathed another sigh of relief shortly afterwards when a terrific inswinging Ryan Deas free kick struck unsighted team mate David Morrison bang in front of goal and dropped into the keeper’s arms.

All this time, Arthurlie shotstopper Grant Hay hat not made a save of any consequence. yet he was the one picking the ball out of his net with 37 minutes.

A diagonal free kick reached Mark Sideserf on the left side and he cut inside on to his weaker right foot before curling an exquisite shot high into the postage stamp.

A buoyed-up Pollok could have added to their lead before half-time, but didn’t and they remained on the ascendancy when second-half proceedings got underway.

However, they were to be knocked out of their stride in the 51st minute as the impressive Deas conjured up a wonderful equaliser for the home side.

Picking up possession some 30 yards from goal, he sallied past a trio of opponents before lashing an unsavable shot high past the despairing reach of Longmuir from just outside the penalty box.

Matters became more competitive at 1-1 and a spate of yellow cards ensued, one of which for dissent by Lie ace Gavin Rushford, was to prove even more damaging when the defender was adjudged by whistler Stephen Brown to have felled Lok substitute Davie Winters inside the penalty area.

A second yellow brought Rushford his marching orders and he slowly trudged off the pitch, only looking back when exuberantly cheering Arthurlie supporters signalled that goalkeeper Hay had parried away the resulting spot kick taken by the aforementioned Winters.

Ten-men Arthurlie regrouped to see out the closing stages though they could have been punished by chances that fell the way of Pollok’s other two substitutes Derek Hepburn and Michael Daly. Lie boss Stevie Kerrigan said later: "Our performance was so much better today and it’s pleasing to think we were never dominated by a Pollok team that has been attracting a lot of accolades. “The guys played the ball out well from the back with Mark Blakey’s influence apparent throughout and it would have been a travesty if we had lost particularly as the Pollok penalty kick award appeared to be on the soft side."

Lok boss Tony McInally was disappointed with his side’s defending at the Deas goal.

He said: "The attempted tackles on Ryan were half-hearted at best and that is not to take away from what was a smashing goal for the lad.”

The remaining Exsel Group last eight showdowns will see Shettleston 1-0 winners over Thorniewood United thanks to a Peter Weatherson spot kick goal await the visit of Greenock while Lesmahagow’s 2-0 defeat of Lanark United has set the Gow with a home date against Wishaw for whom Sean McKenna, Ross McGeachie(2) and Michael Daly were on target in a 4-0 victory over Shotts Bon Accord. And last up is an intriguing head-to-head between Rob Roy, 5-2 winners over Rossvale through Gavin Mackie (3), Willie Sawyers and Kevin Watt goals against Super First Division outfit Clydebank whose securing there points through Alan Vezza netting the only goal of the game against Ashfield saw Budgie McGie’s side secure the Section 6 honours on goal difference from rivals Yoker Athletic who had Ryan Hynes (pen) on the mark in a 1-0 success against Maryhill.

The Ardagh Glass Cup last-eight ties down in Ayrshire - also being played on Wednesday night - have panned out as Beith v Ardeer Thistle, Cumnock v Girvan, Hurlford United v Kilbirnie Ladeside and Troon v Auchinleck Talbot.

Scott Anson netted four goals as Cumnock smashed seven goals without reply against Muirkirk while Auchinleck Talbot midfielder Dwayne Hyslop also helped himself to a quartet of strikes as Talbot hammered Kello Rovers 7-2.

Cup holders Hurlford United coasted through with a 5-0 rout of Ardeer Thistle and last season’s beaten finalists Troon had goals from Ryan Nisbet, Chris McKnight and Colin Spence to thank for a 3-2 defeat of an Annbank United side that had raised hopes of a shock upset when leading 2-1 at the halfway stage through a couple of Roddy Patterson goals.