There was no lack of thrills and spills in the remaining weekend action with Rob Roy to the fore again in underlining claims they will be firmly in the reckoning for this season’s Super Premier Division title.

Doubters might point to last time out and say the Rabs have been early season frontrunners before only to suffer a collapse however what cannot be denied is that Stewart Maxwell’s are looking better prepared to meet the challenges that lie ahead if indeed they are to be crowned champions next May.

The Rabs have made a mighty impressive start to their campaign which continued apace on Saturday with their fifth consecutive league victory in five starts, a 4-2 defeat of Hurlford United, that extended their lead atop the standings to five points.

Reece Pearson set them on their way with only five minutes on the clock by reacting sharper than anyone else to knock the ball home after United goalkeeper Ally Brown had blocked a Kevin Green penalty kick.

The Ayrshiremen drawing level through veteran Mark Roberts proved only a temporary blip as prolific hitman Willie Sawyers grabbed a brace of goals and winger Chris Duff netted a wonder strike before Hurlford striker John Gemmell put a better complexion on the scoreline with a late counter.

Title aspirations are being nursed elsewhere, most notably by Scottish Junior Cup holders Beith following a comfortable 3-1 win away to second top Glenafton with Kenny McLean, John Sheridan and David McGowan scores establishing a 3-0 lead prior to Chris Dallas scoring for the Glens.

And arguably the biggest crowd of the season taking in the Newlandsfield clash of Pollok and Arthurlie provided evidence of the belief felt by of their supporting legions that the derby rivals will figure in the race for honours.

The Barrhead outfit held onto their third top place despite going down 2-0 to second half goals from Lok pair Liam Rowan and Kieron McAleenan.

And looking anything but out of it are Troon after picking up three points through goals from Colin Spence ,Scott Chatham and second half substitute earning Mark Curragh earning a 3-1 triumph over Largs Thistle for whom James Marks was on target.

Thistle’s sixth defeat in six league starts left them rooted to the bottom of the Super Premier pile and compelled team boss Bryan Slavin to resign his post immediately after the game .

The only other top flight contest saw Cumnock return to winning ways with a 4-1 destruction of Kilwinning Rangers where Sean McKenzie netted a double along with Kieron Wood and Paul Burns strikes while Dean Agnew responded for the beaten Buffs .

Out in front on the Super First Division way are Kilsyth Rangers for whom Scott Davidson bagged the only goal of the game away to Irvine Vics while an identical scoreline enabled Shettleston to sit on the leaders heels as Ross Dickson’s powerful header-earned a 1-0 victory against Renfrew.

Clydebank moved third after rediscovering their scoring touch as Nikky Little (2) , Joel Kasbundi and Jordan Shelvey scores sealed a 4-3 success away to a Girvan side that made a game of it after being 3-0 down at the halfway stage.

And the George Shaw inspired revival is showing no signs of abating at Cumbernauld United ,now up into fourth place in the table after inflicting a first league defeat of the season on Petershill.

Wastefulness in front of goal proved every bit as fatal for the Peasy as the 71st-minute comical blunder from goalkeeper Franny Hughes that allowed Matty Loudon to open the scoring for United whose lead was initially doubled by a header from Davie Dickson before being halved by a Stuart McCann tap in score for the Springburn side.