Six minutes into the Emirates Scottish Cup semi-final first leg between Auchinleck Talbot and Rutherglen Glencairn and all appeared to be going according to plan.

Bot midfielder Bryan Young had headed past goalkeeper Kevin Bell and home supporters settled back in anticipation of the goals spree predicted for the supposed mismatch of the Super Premier champions-elect against their relegation-threatened lower league opponents.

But, from looking on the ropes, Glencairn's motley collection of old heads and young legs showed themselves to be anything but down and out as they battled back to eke out a stupendous 1-1 draw against the Ayrshire big guns.

Putting the result into perspective, Willie Harvey's men became only the second team (after Rob Roy) to emerge undefeated from Beechwood Park this season.

Make no mistake, this was a backs-to-the-wall performance for the main part that owed much to some wasteful finishing from Auchinleck on top of large helpings of good fortune as both Young and Colin Spence struck woodwork in the second half.

But, as so often happens in these cases, the Ruglonians' defiance received its reward just 10 minutes from time, shortly after an afternoon of frustration for Auchinleck skipper James Latta ended when he received his marching orders for picking up his second yellow card for a challenge on Glens keeper Bell.

A needless Pettigrew challenge felled Glens striker Brett Agnew and Mark McCarry sent giant Talbot keeper Andy Leishman the wrong way from the spot for 1-1.

Nobody celebrated more among the meagre travelling support on the terracings than proud gaffer Harvey (he's still serving a dugout suspension) and he showered praise on his charges.

"We got a magnificent effort from every Glens player out there and the fact I'm going to ask them to try and do it all again this week tells you why I'm a fan of one-off cup semi-finals," he said.

"Auchinleck will still be firm favourites to get through, but I'm willing to bet right now that bookmakers and pundits will afford my players much more respect than they did ahead of this first game.

"Some of the Talbot fans around me were decrying us for not having a go, but we were under the cosh and had no choice other than to defend deep and they also overlooked their goalkeeper Leishman making one of the best saves I've ever seen to keep out a net-bound McCarry header early in the second half.

"It was reminiscent of Gordon Banks, but I suppose that's why he's rated the Scotland Juniors No.1."

Auchinleck boss Tommy Sloan felt his side's dream start contributed in part to their subdued display.

He said: "I'm not too down as I didn't expect the tie to be done and dusted after the first leg. I wouldn't go so far as to say we stopped playing after Butch's goal, but there was certainly a lack of drive and fire about us.

"That said, you have to give credit to Glencairn for killing our momentum by taking the sting out of the game at every opportunity."

He went on: "There's all to play for this week through in Rutherglen and I think this semi-final is on a knife-edge."

The other final-four contest went more the way of the form book with unbeaten East Region cracks Linlithgow Rose forging a 3-1 lead at home to holders Shotts Bon Accord.

However, defiant Shotts gaffer Tony McInally believes his side can still beat the odds to claim a second consecutive final appearance.

He said: "At 1-1 the sides were looking very evenly matched, but a defensive blunder gave them the boost of going ahead on the stroke of half-time and they then hit us with a goal-of-the-season contender to wrap up the scoring.

"We'll go away and lick our wounds, but it's encouraging to think we created a few openings, so who knows what might happen if those same opportunities come our way this week and we take them this time?"

The first-half goals were crammed into the closing 15 minutes, with Tommy Coyne giving Linlithgow a 1-0 lead on the half-hour mark that was cancelled out minutes later by Shotts striker Alan McKenzie's fierce effort which came off the underside of the crossbar.

Coyne restored the home side's advantage with a back post header approaching the break and in 70 minutes a stunning 25-yarder shot from Ruari McLennan completed the scoring.