Saturday's hugely entertaining clash between Arthurlie and Hurlford United was ultimately decided by the visiting Ayrshire team's clinical finishing and the Barrhead side's spurning of what chances came their way.

One particular passage of play on the stroke of half-time summed up Dunterlie events to a `T `as Arthurlie 's pressing hard for an interval lifeline at 3-1 down saw them mount an attack through their most potent threat - winger Eddie McTiernan.

He cut inside off the right to power a shot goalwards that the diving Ally Brown parried near post but only into the path of Lie front man Danny Burns.

He twice had point-blank attempts blocked by the grounded keeper before the danger was unceremoniously cleared.

A resulting corner kick saw the ball reach Ryan McGregor, who cleverly made space to lash a shot past Brown only for Ford skipper Paul Cameron to pop up and head clear on the goal-line just seconds before whistler David Lowe signalled half-time.

Barrhead gaffer Craig McEwan, whose dugout comments in the second period incurred Mr Lowe's wrath and saw him sent to the pavilion, reflected on those missed opportunities in his after- match summary.

He said: "Overall, our defending was disappointing but a 5-1 scoreline is never a true reflection of events out there and I'd liked to have seen how matters would have unfolded if we had made it 3-2 at the halfway stage.

"We weren't at the races for the most part, but up to now the players have risen to a lot of challenges placed before them and one off day is not a disaster."

Arthurlie endured a first-half battering from Hurlford, whose striker Ross Robertson gave a masterclass in forward line play.

He earned the penalty kick from which Stewart Kean netted the opener and he was again to the fore following Jamie Lyden's quickfire leveller at 1-1 to set up Keano for a close-range score.

Robertson then bagged the best goal of the game himself after controlling the ball under pressure and setting Kean scampering clear on the right before racing into the box to meet his strike partner's return pass and hammer an unstoppable shot high past Mikey White in the Arthurlie goal for 3-1 .

Second-half counters from the impressive Calum Watt and substitute Martin Brown rounded off the scoring while an increase in tousy exchanges culminated in Lie defender Gavin Rushford receiving his marching orders.

Ford boss Darren Henderson could not hide his delight at Robertson's display.

He said: "The lad is only 21 and if he keeps learning and improving as he has since coming here than he has a chance of going on to play at another level.

"He was a big reason for us making a decent Arthurlie team look very ordinary and I'm delighted with our showing."

Hurlford remain a long way behind league leaders Irvine Meadowin the standings, despite the long-time frontrunners relinquishing their proud 100% record through a 2-2 draw at Glenafton.

Yet the Loch Park outcome might have been a lot worse for Stevie Rankin's men who had Michael Keenan red carded in 52 minutes.

They were trailing 2-1 deep into injury-time only for substitute Mark Thomson to level matters with a deflected free kick.

Earlier, Alan Kinney had nodded the Glens 1-0 in front from a fifth-minute corner kick only for Medda striker Willie Sawyers to equalise shortly afterwards from a similar set-piece.

Keenan's dismissal saw the home side gain the ascendancy, but they passed up a glorious opportunity to regain the lead when Kinney was felled to earn a penalty kick which he himself fired wide.

However, midfielder Michael Wardrope looked to have earned the spoils in the final minute when he cracked home a 20-yard shot through a crowded penalty box.

Home supporters' celebrations were then stifled by Thomson's dead-ball expertise and Medda can count themselves fortunate to escape with a point.

The Irvine club's stumble was pounced upon by title challengers Auchinleck Talbot who moved two points closer to their rivals with a 2-1 defeat of bottom markers Clydebank thanks to goals from Dwayne Hyslop and defender Martin McGoldrick who put through his own goal to provide a last-minute consolation for the Bankies.

Petershill regained third top spot with a Keiran Daw inspired 3-1 triumph over Kilbirnie Ladeside who had gained a foothold in this Springburn contest when Chris Wilson scored from a free kick to cancel out Danny Irvine's headed opener for the Peasy.

The introduction of Daw from the bench changed the game's complexion as firstly he set up Stephen McGladrigan for 2-1 before bagging his side's third goal to clinch three points.

Cumnock and Troon drew 1-1 in the only other top-flight encounter.