Kilbirnie co-boss Stevie Swift reckons his players are anything but travel sick ahead of the trip to face Cumbernauld United on Saturday.

The Guy's Meadow Super First contest is the Blasties' fifth consecutive away game – it could have been six if the 4-0 win over Kello Rovers on November 24 had not been switched to Valefield at the 11th hour with Nithside Park out of action.

The point yielded from last weekend's 2-2 draw at Renfrew, thanks to David McGeown and Darren McLean goals, leaves them just three points adrift of front-runners Largs Thistle with a game in hand.

Swifty said: "It was so disappointing to suffer a blip against Renfrew, but this string of away days had to tell on us eventually.

"The heavy surface was not conducive to our normal passing game and the result was we weren't at the races early doors when Renfrew gave us a bit of a going over.

"Guys like Ryan Smillie, who has been in sensational form, had his quietest 90 minutes of the season, yet all credit to the players for storming back.

"One indifferent result should not take away from all the good stuff that has put us back into the promotion running, however we must get ourselves back on track for this week's game against Cumbernauld which is shaping up as a six-pointer.

"They are sitting fourth and we can overtake them with a win, but it's going to take a massive performance if we are to pick up all three points.

"John Queen has his side well-drilled and playing with a lot of flair as they showed in turning us over 4-1 at our place, but I'd like to think we can get our own back."

Elsewhere, one hears of an untypical incident occurring in last weekend's Moor Park clash between Lanark United and Benburb which ended in a 2-1 victory for the home side – despite the handicap of having two players sent off.

There was nothing untoward about dominating stopper Liam Mushet receiving his marching orders inside the first quarter of an hour, however controversy surrounded the second-half call to give Brian Johnstone his marching orders after he went crashing to the ground after a tackle by Bens centre-back Alan Smith.

Referee Joe McCaig adjudged the experienced frontman to be guilty of simulation, and was about to give him his second yellow card of the afternoon when visiting defender Smith held his hand up to say he had caught Johnstone with his challenge

However, the man in the middle refused to accept this act of contrition and duly sent Johnstone packing.

Meanwhile, former Auchinleck Talbot midfielder Stan Webster, who is now coaching semi-professional Australian outfit Casey Comets, can arrange a year-long working holiday visa for Junior and part-time Senior footballers of a decent standard who might want to play Down Under for a spell. He can be contacted at coachayr@hotmail.com