CRAIG McEWAN is determined to lead Arthurlie into the top half of the Super Premier Division to usher in one of the best years of his career.

As a player, Southy figured in the Glenafton side that went all the way to the Scottish Junior Cup Final only to lose out to Hurlford United.

Now he's promising to make even greater waves as the new manager of a Barrhead side that has been attracting rave notices for their displays.

Lie could achieve his aim of a top-six spot with a home win over Cumnock today as long as other results also go their way.

But McEwan also wants his players to grab results in their last games of 2014 at home to Hurlford and away to Troon.

He said: "The realist in me reckons this season's title race is between Irvine Meadow and Auchinleck. So I might have to settle on being best of the rest, but that would be a terrific achievement for us.

"Since taking up the reins we have lost only one game - a 1-0 loss to Medda last Saturday when we should have been out of sight by half-time.

"That apart, we are getting our reward for playing the game the right way with free-flowing, attacking football.

"We have scored 18 in seven games and that has persuaded fans to return in numbers. A consistency of selection has undoubtedly helped as the same starting eleven has featured in six of the games.

"But quality back-up such as Paul 'Tiny' Stewart, Alan Muir, Gary Smith and Shaun Gallagher is keeping the guys who start on their toes."

One of Lie's stars has been Chris Dallas, and Southy is keen to make the striker's loan deal from Albion Rovers a permanent one. He said: "Chris wants to stay, so I've had talks with Rovers gaffer Darren Young about a transfer."

Southy took over at Dunterlie in the same week Cumnock named John McKeown as their new boss and he is looking forward to locking horns with his dugout counterpart.

McEwan said: "We are both in the early stages of getting players to buy into our ways.

"Results so far haven't gone John's way, but you only have to look at the fantastic job he did at Wishaw to know he can turn things around.

"He has a number of quality players at Cumnock so we can't take anything for granted against them."

McKeown has an injury doubt over hitman Robert Love, while Kieron Downs is suspended after being sent off last week on his Nock debut, a 2-0 loss to Glenafton.

McKeown admitted: "The only luck we are having now is bad luck. For example, this week we discovered Steven Lowe has a chipped bone in his foot and will be out for a few games. Our players' heads are down and morale is low.

"Stevie McGuire and Ryan Nisbet have had to shoulder the responsibility for scoring goals, but we lack a cutting edge. I wish we could unearth a bigger target-man type to take the weight off them."

ELSEWHERE, bottom club Clydebank will unveil new striker Derek Carcary, signed from Annan Athletic, when they take on Glenafton down at Loch Park.

Leaders Irvine Meadow will look to open up an 11-point gap with a tenth consecutive league victory away to second-placed Beith.

Medda boss Stevie Rankin will welcome back Mark Sideserf and Josh Flood, but Robert Halliday is suspended and forward Chris Hall pulled a hamstring in training.

Kilbirnie Ladeside's twice-postponed Junior Cup tie away to FC Stoneywood has been switched to Longside FC's Davidson Park, near Peterhead, with a 3pm start.

In other late fixture-list switches today, Auchinleck Talbot host Larkhall Thistle in the New Coin Holdings Cup while Wishaw will welcome Ashfield in the Central First Division. Kick-offs are 1.45pm.