THEIR hard-fought 1-0 defeat of Rob Roy was Cumbernauld United's fourth win on the spin against their derby rivals since last May.

Yet though their winner owed everything to a wicked deflection, few visiting fans would begrudge United the three points that saw them leapfrog the Rabs into third spot in the Super First Division.

Yet in the initial stages of this match at Guy's Meadow it was the visitors who had looked a decent bet for the spoils.

Rob Roy came racing out of the blocks with smart passing and probing thrusts to dominate possession and peg United captain Tony Fraser and his men deep in defence.

But it has to be said Cumbernauld looked very comfortable fighting a rearguard action, with centre-back Danny Boyle a veritable colossus.

In fact, so well did they blunt Rob Roy's attacking threat that keeper Barry Fraser remained untroubled until he was left grasping thin air when Chris Duff's mesmerising footwork saw him cut in from the left flank and curl a shot off the face of the crossbar.

That close shave prompted the home side into a sortie upfield of their own which ended with Gary Carroll pulling a low shot wide of Johnny Murdoch's post. But the rest of the first half saw the Rabs back on top.

Terracing thoughts of more of the same again from the restart were almost immediately dispelled when Cumbernauld got their noses in front only three minutes into the half.

Fine hold-up play by Carroll saw him play a bouncing ball back towards Scott Murphy, who fired his shot into the ground then saw it spin beyond the helpless Murdoch to give United a 1-0 lead against the run of play.

Afterwards the beaten Rob Roy goalie admitted: "There were several bodies standing in front of me, but I still had the shot covered until it took a touch off Davie Barr to leave me going the wrong way.

"It was cruel luck, but that was the story of the entire 90 minutes for us. We didn't get a break where it really counted .

"It's astonishing to think we have lost a game in which I've not had a single save to make.

"Our problems lie in the other penalty box and it's no exaggeration to say we could still be playing now without sticking the ball in their net.

"So I fancy the boys will be in for plenty of shooting practice this coming week."

ALTHOUGH the second half was almost as uneventful as the first, Cumbernauld did make a better fist of things competitively.

They created a number of near things thanks to Carroll, Murphy, Davie Dickson and Gavin Mackie doing all their good work in the Rob Roy half.

Most observers may have been of the view that this derby occasion turned out relatively tame, but that view was clearly not shared by referee Derek Crothers who somehow saw fit to show ten yellow cards.

That included dishing out two cautions to Cumbernauld full back Ryan Sullivan, who was ultimately dismissed for the cardinal sin of failing to take a throw-in quickly enough for the match official.

Yet United's diligence came close to being wasted in the last minute when Rob Roy almost snatched a draw. Sadly for the visitors, their young forward Stevie Aitken lashed the ball high over the crossbar when given a clear view of goal.

The narrow win continued Cumbernauld's recent revival and team boss John Queen was clearly delighted afterwards.

He said: "We had a game plan devised around getting the ball into certain areas of the pitch but for 45 minutes Rob Roy halted us in our tracks.

"At half-time we told the guys not to lose faith and to get our reward so early on after the break lifted everyone's spirits.

There was an inventiveness to our play that had Rob Roy rocking for a spell.

"We warned our guys that Rob Roy's manager Stewart Maxwell would have his players fired up, but they still blew us away with the intensity of their first-half push.

"Thankfully, big Danny and Ryan Haxton were in the mood to let nothing past them.

"If anything we were looking good for a second goal until Ryan's sending-off left us to play the last 10 minutes and injury time with just ten men."

SUPER First Division leaders Pollok capitalised on Rob Roy's defeat by moving ten points clear of the chasing pack with a tense 3-2 Newlandsfield win over Kilsyth Rangers.

A John Sweeney penalty and a goal from Davie Winters put the Lok two up until strikes from Nick Prentice and Phil Dolan levelled the scores. But Kilsyth's hopes were quashed by a late winner from Sweeney.

Rutherglen Glencairn were the other noticeable mover at the top end of the league.

Keiran Donaghy put them in front against managerless Maybole but, despite being down to ten men, the Ayrshire side drew level with a Robert Patterson goal. But late strikes from Ross McNeil and Thomas Kilmartin secured a 3-1 victory for Glens.

And a major shock awaited Greenock, who lost 6-3 at home to second-bottom Neilston.

Chris Cameron contributed a double while Mathew McLean, Barry Tulloch, Matty Stevenston and Graeme Barbour also got on the scoresheet for the Farmer's Boys.