COULD last weekend prove pivotal for those teams involved in the Super Premier Division title and relegation issues?

The question is begged after Mark Shankland’s 88th minute free-kick strike chalked up yet another 1-0 victory for Auchinleck Talbot (a fifth in nine matches) to help the reigning champions overcome arch foes Cumnock and regain pole position from erstwhile league leaders Glenafton whose shock 4-1 reverse at the hands of basement battlers Largs Thistle saw the New Cumnock outfit concede more goals than in any other game this season.

The roof caved in on the Glens following the 10th minute red-carding of defender Alan Cairns and subsequent dismissal from the dugout of incensed team boss Craig McEwan and they had no answer other than a Joe Andrew consolation score to goals from James Marks (2), Matty Bennett and veteran Kevin Struthers.

The three points haul gleaned by Largs was all the more precious in their battle to stave off relegation given the hitherto table footers Kilwinning Rangers moved off bottom spot after a Ben Lewis double and counter from Kilmarnock loan signing Lewis Morrison brought about a 3-2 victory over Pollok.

And these surprising twists in the fight to secure top-flight status for yet another season must have come as real hammer blows for Troon, newly rooted to the foot of the table, and not least of all to fifth from bottom Kilbirnie Ladeside whose own basement position actually worsened despite carving out a share of the spoils with a hard fought 0-0 draw at home to title challengers Beith.

Having just one league match left to play in their 2017 campaign (away to Rob Roy) only cranks up the pressure on the Mark Bradley steered Blasties and it’s hard not to believe the outcome of their trip to Guys Meadow may prove crucial to their survival hopes.

Two huge head to heads take centre stage this coming Saturday with second bottom Kilwinning out to ease their drop concerns by building on their morale boosting Newlandsfield triumph when hosting the visit of three points and two places better off Hurlford United.

But the game of the day without doubt is the Bellsdale Park clash of Beith and Glenafton where picking up anything other than all three points would surely be a nail in the coffin of the home side’s faltering title aspirations going into the season’s final stretch.

And it’s not as if the Glens are likely to be lacking for motivation as they look to recover from their rare hiccup at Largs knowing that a victory over their rivals would take them back atop the Super Premier pile going into their Scottish Junior Cup double-header against Bonnyrigg Rose.

Meanwhile, there now appears to be five outright runners in the Super First Division championship stakes (six if Clydebank could string together a seven-game winning run) with the title race shaping as the closest it has been for some time.

Any of the leading contenders could step up into the West Region’s top tier by the time the current campaign comes to an end and it’s very possible that the coveted top three places (two automatic and one play-off) won’t be decided until the final days of the season.

Kilsyth Rangers are yet again the frontrunners as a result of sharing the spoils away to fellow title contenders Girvan last weekend combined with Shettleston relinquishing top spot by virtue of a 3-0 defeat by an Irvine Meadow side whose management team of Gareth Turner and Michael Wardrope are delighting in Medda sitting handily placed just three points adrift of Kilsyth from the same number of games.

The aforementioned Girvan are sitting pretty with games in hand over the teams around them in fifth place while improved showings of late have put Petershill firmly back in the mix.

Indeed the formidable striking partnership of Chris Hall and Jason Hardie aided and abetted by Stephen McLadrigan, back scoring again after a successful but short-lived loan stint with Rossvale, could be a telling factor over the Springburn club’s run-in games.

Three of the top five are in league action and looking to further their step up claims this week with Girvan landed with arguably the biggest hurdle in travelling up to meet in-form Rutherglen Glencairn while the Peasy have a tough ask of their own away to a Cumbernauld United side smarting after losing 1-0 to relegation battling Shotts Bon Accord in what was the first defeat under manager Andy Frame.

And the added incentive of going joint top of the table is there for Irvine Meadow in taking to the road to face Yoker Athletic.

SATURDAY'S FIXTURES

(Kick-offs 2pm)

New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup third round: Craigmark v Kilsyth Rangers, Cumnock v Blantyre Vics, Largs Thistle v Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, Pollok v Neilston, St Roch's v Annbank Utd, Troon v Gartcairn, Thorniewood Utd v Darvel.

McBookie.com Super Premier Division: Beith v Glenafton Kilwinning Rangers v Hurlford Utd.

McBookie.com Super First Division: Rutherglen Glencairn v Girvan, Yoker Athletic v Irvine Meadow, Irvine Vics v Shotts Bon Accord, Cumbernauld Utd v Petershill.

McBookie.com Central First Division: Johnstone Burgh v Forth Wanderers, Cambuslang Rangers v Lesmahagow, Greenock v Bellshill Athletic, Rossvale v Larkhall Thistle, Wishaw v Benburb.

McBookie.com Central Second Division: Carluke Rovers v Newmains Utd, Dunipace v Ashfield, East Kilbride Thistle v Port Glasgow, Royal Albert v St Anthony's.

McBookie.com Ayrshire District League: Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Muirkirk, Kello Rovers v Ardeer Thistle.

Central League Cup first round: Shettleston v Renfrew.