What next for Rob Roy? Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Wishaw marked their exit from this season’s Scottish Junior Cup and their shock exit at the hands of lower league opponents will take some getting over.

And may prove a tad more difficult than when losing out 2-0 against East Region big guns Bonnyrigg Rose at the same quarter-final stage last time out.

The comparison is sure to cause some supporters to question whether the Rabs are a better team now than the one that claimed runners-up spot in the Super Premier Division stakes last year – a mere three points adrift of champions Glenafton.

Yet a raft of changes since then has seen eight players who featured at Bonnyrigg absent from the travelling party that arrived at The Beltane: Chris Duff, Davie Barr, Kevin Green, Jordan McGuire, Andrew Johnston, Jordan Brown, Reece Pearson and Luke Whelan have all since moved on.

On the plus side, Stewart Maxwell’s current crop have discovered battling qualities that have allowed them to give 3-0 starts to Auchinleck Talbot and Linlithgow Rose yet still come out on top, but this swashbuckling forward play has come at a price with the 22 league goals conceded up to now already one more than their entire campaign last season.

Performances over the next two months will provide a telling case but put into context, accumulating the same points total (43) will require the Rabs to achieve a target of eight wins and two draws from their remaining 11 league fixtures – a tall order by anyone’s standards.

Rabs boss Maxi said: "Having a run to the latter stages of the Scottish Cup is all very well but it feels like a wasted journey unless you go all the way to the Final.

“The inevitable consequence is a huge backlog of league fixtures and it’s no coincidence that both Hurlford United and ourselves have played fewer games than any other Super Premier Division outfit.

“Playing catch-up in the circumstances is never easy particularly when the midweek games are coming thick and fast. But we managed to string a run of victories together last season and will be trying our best to do so again.

"Kilwinning Rangers are way out in front and will take some pegging back but we’ll just take one game at a time and see where it gets us.”

Rob Roy players will be striving to put the smiles back on supporters’ faces when they host Irvine Vics in a rearranged New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup first-round tie on Saturday.

Maxi admitted: "We let a lot of people down against Wishaw and now face a real test of character to get our season back on track.

“Irvine Vics are top of the Ayrshire District League and will no doubt be coming here to pose questions of us but hopefully we will come up with better answers this time."

Rob Roy, ground-sharing at Guys Meadow since moving out of Adamslie Park in 2014, are also experiencing difficult hurdles off the pitch with the proposed building of their new ground at the Southbank site in Kirkintilloch looking as if it will not be supported by East Dunbartonshire Council due to funding issues.

Meanwhile, Wishaw manager Derek Holmes says he is looking forward to Thursday afternoon’s Scottish Junior Cup semi-final draw (4.15pm) being held on the televised Peter Martin and Alan Rough show.

“We might have beaten a quality side in Rob Roy but that won’t stop us being the underdogs regardless of who we come out against in the draw and that suits us just fine," said the former Senior ace.

“Before then we have to get down to preparations for our next game away to Cumnock in the West of Scotland Cup and I have no hesitation in saying we will be making a number of changes to last week’s starting team.

“Some players have been unfortunate up to now in not having an opportunity to show what they bring to the table and I hope they can step up to the mark because we have a minimum of 24 games to play – that is going to need every player on the books to do their bit between now and the end of season."

PLAYING SATURDAY 31st MARCH 2018: (Kick Offs 2PM): McBookie.com Super Premier Division. Pollok v Kilwinning Rangers.McBookie.com Super First Division. Shettleston v Cumbernauld Utd, Petershill v Renfrew, , Kello Rovers v Maryhill.

McBookie.com Central First Division. East Kilbride Thistle v Benburb, Glasgow Perthshire v Port Glasgow, Rossvale v Blantyre Vics.McBookie.com Central Second Division.,Dunipace v Vale of Clyde, Royal Albert v Carluke Rovers, Bellshill Athletic v Lanark Utd, Newmains Utd v Vale of Leven McBookie.com Ayrshire District League. Muirkirk v Annbank Utd. New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup .Ashfield v Craigmark, Auchinleck Talbot v St Roch's , Beith v Neilston, Cumnock v Wishaw, Gartcairn v Clydebank, Girvan v St Anthony's, Largs Thistle v Cambuslang Rangers, Larkhall Thistle v Irvine Meadow,Shotts Bon Accord v Whitletts Vics , Troon v Maybole , Ardeer Thistle v Greenock, Arthurlie v Saltcoats Vics , Dalry Thistle v Darvel, Forth Wanderers v Thorniewood Utd, Hurlford Utd v Lesmahagow , Kilbirnie Ladeside v Johnstone Burgh , Rob Roy v Irvine Vics.