TONIGHT'S eagerly-awaited Euroscot Eng Sectional League Cup semi- final meeting of Wishaw and Blantyre Vics has been sensationally postponed.

Arthurlie - beaten 2-1 by the Vics in last midweek's quarter-final - launched a protest claiming their conquerors included an ineligible player in their line-up.

The player in question is understood to be 16-year-old Ryan Barratt, who took no part in the Dunterlie proceedings other than to sit on the Vics bench.

However, he was unregistered as a result of an administrative oversight and the rule book states that players must sign one of the registration forms of the Scottish Football Association before taking part in a cup-tie.

The protest might be construed as wishful thinking by Arthurlie, but one can only imagine there is a fair degree of legitimacy behind their claims - otherwise West Region beaks would not have moved to call off tonight's last-four tie.

And the upshot now is that supporters of both clubs and of Wishaw must wait until West Region officials meet next Tuesday night to decide whether there are grounds to hand Arthurlie a shock reprieve.

Vics boss David Greig revealed: "I'm a football man and firmly believe that games should be decided out on the pitch but, if we as a club have broken the rules, then we have to pay the price.

"It would be a smack in the teeth for everyone connected with Blantyre Vics, but most of all the players who deserve better for having manfully fought their way through to this semi-final stage with a string of great performances.

"And it should be pointed out that no blame whatsoever is being attributed to young Ryan, who appeared for us last season against Newmains but has not figured this time out other than the last five minutes in our 8-2 group stage victory over East Kilbride Thistle.

"We had a lot of players missing and he was helping make up the numbers against Arthurlie as was former Hamilton striker Brian McPhee, who came on for the closing stages of the game.

"When I first heard rumblings about an appeal, I immediately thought something was amiss with Brian's paperwork, but it's unbelievable to think Arthurlie's protest centres on Ryan, whose jersey didn't even need washing after the game."

Inspirational Vics skipper Terry Hewitt gave the Castle Park dressing room take on things in saying: "It smacks of Legia Warsaw against Celtic because we won the game fair and square but could end up gazumped by the authorities deeming otherwise.

"It' s going to be a long and nervous wait until next Tuesday, but we must put all thoughts of the semi-final to the back of our minds and concentrate on trying to pick up three league points against Larkhall Thistle on Saturday."

An Arthurlie insider said: "We lost the game and it should just be left at that."

Ardagh Glass Cup shock troops Largs Thistle, fresh from their 4-1 last-eight elimination of Scottish Cup kingpins Hurlford United on Monday, must tonight attempt to put reigning West Region champions Auchinleck Talbot to the sword at Barrfields.

Theesel gaffer Sandy Maclean said: "It would have been a huge ask to get the better of two teams of their calibre on consecutive Saturdays so being asked to do it in 48 hours just beggars belief.

"My players gave a supreme effort to win against Hurlford and the fear is we might not fully recover in time for Auchinleck's visit."