Auchinleck Talbot’s dream of a 12th Scottish Junior Cup success is very much alive and kicking following a priceless 1-0 victory over reigning trophy holders Beith on Saturday.

This season’s perceived dip in form and the grim memory of their recent dismal display against Pollok were put firmly behind them as Willie Lyle & Co showed a commitment beyond praise to territorially dominate throughout even though it took a highly controversial 90th minute penalty kick award to win the day.

Talbot had the gameplan and more importantly players with the hardness of heart and soul to dethrone their opponents who will probably look back on an earlier penalty kick of their own saved by Andy Leishman as a case of what might have been.

Bellsdale’s spectating of around 800 never witnessed a footballing spectacle as such, but what they did see was an outstanding, shackles off, collision between two of the Junior game’s giants that was well worth the admission money.

This never less than absorbing cup contest’s defining moment arrived when a ball played through by Talbot substitute Steven White found striker Graham Wilson in acres of space behind experienced defender Mark McLaughlin.

He stopped in his tracks and turned to the touchline assistant with his hand raised, but the offside flag never followed suit and Wilson raced into the penalty box where he was brought crashing down in the act of rounding goalkeeper Stephen Grindley.

Beith’s protests could not dissuade whistler Lloyd Wilson from pointing to the spot and Stevie Wilson - one of the best players afield - kept his nerve to find the net with a well-placed shot before being engulfed by wildly celebrating team mates.

Talbot easily closed out the injury time minutes to clinch a last-16 place that team boss Tommy Sloan felt they deserved.

He said: "There was a lot more life about us today and we exerted a strong grip on the proceedings albeit without seriously testing their goalkeeper.

“Our lack of efforts on target was touched on at half-time, but the second half was more of the same though I did think we came close to breaking the deadlock before Stevie’s late penalty kick conversion.

“His running power and energy was a big factor today as indeed was Andy’s spot kick save as I’d have hated us to concede an early goal.”

There had been only 15 minutes played when an attempted Craig McCracken clearance rebounded off John Sheridan’s frame (Talbot claimed the ball came off his hands) and into the path of Connor McGlinchey whose going to ground as he skipped past an attempted Willie Lyle tackle inside the area had Mr Wilson pointing unerringly to the spot.

Beith forward Darren Christie confidently stepped up to the mark and it’s only fair to say his effort was well struck towards the bottom right hand corner.

However, the diving Leishman belied his size to get down quickly and divert the ball away for a corner kick.

The giant Talbot No.1 also coming up with a marvellous one handed reflex stop to keep out a netbound McLaughlin overhead kick at a second half corner kick was not lost on Beith boss Johnny Millar afterwards.

He said: "We’ve lost a game to a goal that looked five yards offside and we’ve lost a game when Shay has not had a single save of note to make whereas Big Andy has been forced to make two or three outstanding stops to keep his goal intact.

“It’s disappointing to go out of the Junior Cup in this manner but that’s what can happen when your big players don’t turn up."

Auchinleck head up a five -strong West Region contingent to have booked their last-16 places following victories for Petershill, Carluke Rovers, Renfrew and last season’s beaten semi-finalists Kilwinning Rangers.

Busy front man Jason Hardie netted a hat trick as the Peasy ran out 7-1 winners over Haddington Athletic with their other scores coming from Jordan Kennedy ,Liam Finnigan (2) and Chrissy Hall.

Lewis McDougall was the match winner as lowly Carluke raised eyebrows with a 1-0 win at home to Irvine Meadow, while Renfrew had Ross Gallagher and Paddy O’Keefe on target in a 2-0 defeat of a Greenock side reduced to ten men for the closing 17 minutes at New Western Park by the dismissal of defender Alan Williams for two yellow card offences.

Carlo Monti and Sam McLoskey (pen) goals helped Kilwinning emerge 2-0 victors away to Edinburgh United however not so fortunate on their trips through East were Benburb and Blantyre Vics who were put to the sword by Dunbar United (3-1) and Linlithgow Rose(4-0) respectively.

And a Cup exit was also suffered by Cumbernauld United whose 3-1 Guys Meadow defeat by Luncarty is a sixth defeat on the spin for George Shaw’s side.

Maryhill live to fight another day after eking out a battling 0-0 draw at Fauldhouse United but arguably not quite so pleased with their second bite at the cherry are Central Second Division outfit Gartcairn , left contemplating a long haul trip to Aberdeen to take on Hermes next weekend after a late in the day free kick equaliser from Chris Dolan at the MTC Park cancelled out Michael Smith’s opener for their North Region opponents .

Weekend results: Scottish Junior Cup Fourth Round. Kelty Hearts 5 Hill of Beath 0, Girvan 2 Penicuik Athletic 3, Petershill 7 Haddington Athletic 1, Renfrew 2 Greenock 0, Dunbar Utd 3 Benburb 1, Gartcairn 1 Hermes 1, Linlithgow Rose 4 Blantyre Vics 0, Carluke Rovers 1 Irvine Meadow 0, Fauldhouse Utd 0 Maryhill 0, Edinburgh Utd 0 Kilwinning Rangers 2, Broughty Athletic 0 Sauchie 4, Beith 0 Auchinleck Talbot 1, Cumbernauld Utd 1 Luncarty 3.

McBookie.com Super Premier Division. Troon 1 Pollok 0, Cumnock 3 Kilbirnie Ladeside 1, Hurlford Utd 0 Arthurlie 1, Largs Thistle 1 Rob Roy 2. McBookie.com Super First Division.

Clydebank 2 Irvine Vics 1, Rutherglen Glencairn 1 Kilsyth Rangers 1, Shettleston 2 Yoker Athletic 1.

McBookie.com Central First Division

St Roch's 2 Bellshill Athletic 0, Johnstone Burgh 1 Lesmahagow 1, Neilston 2 Wishaw 3.

McBookie.com Central Second Division. Ashfield 1 Newmains Utd 0, Lanark Utd 0 Port Glasgow 0, Glasgow Perthshire 0 Dunipace 0, Vale of Leven 2 Royal Albert 1.

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League.

Darvel 2 Maybole 1, Whitletts Vics 3 Lugar Boswell 1, Ardeer Thistle 2 Kello Rovers 2, Craigmark 0 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 4, Saltcoats Vics 2 Annbank Utd 3, Dalry Thistle 2 Muirkirk 1.