ONLY if Pollok do go on to finally end their 14 year wait for the top league title honours will Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Beith live long in the memories of their supporters.

The significance of their Bellsdale Park coup is written all over the end of year Premier Division table placings , Murdie McKinnon’s side now heading up the standings going  into 2022 after their dogged triumph was given lashings of added value by the top flight’s erstwhile leading lights Auchinleck Talbot succumbing to a 1-0 reverse against Kilwinning Rangers.

There can be no denying however that the Glasgow visitors had looked set for a damaging stutter of their own in a match-up, never less than highly competitive but so bereft of any semblance of real quality that most terracing onlookers felt a 0-0 stalemate looked on the cards from early in the second half.

But out of nowhere in 88 minutes, the deadlock was broken after Beith striker Josh Fowler was caught in possession just outside his team’s penalty box when criminally attempting to run out of defence with the ball at his feet.

A pass despatched out wide found Lok midfielder Johnny Lyon and he cleverly worked enough space to deliver over a cross met by substitute Josh Weir whose volley into the ground was heading well wide until the ball bounced up invitingly, allowing centreback Ryan McGregor to swivel and fire a close range shot past Beith goalkeeper Dale Burgess.

Afterwards, Lok boss McKinnon emerged from a dressing room where the whoops of delight from his playing charges only intensified after word came through of Auchinleck’s demise, to say.

“ I accept the real enjoyment today comes from the result but credit belongs to this group of players  for finding  a way to come good in a game such as today’s  that in the past would have petered out to a 0-0 draw and seen two points dropped ,

“ I have been telling people for a long time about the mindset in our camp that refuses to let our title challenge  go away and it was there for all to see out there even  though we were not at our best.

“That said, we had the lion’s share of possession and created the better scoring chances but found Beith extremely difficult to break down until our guys showed their capacity to dig deep when it really matters.”

It says everything about two resolute and well organised backlines that 33 minutes had elapsed before a first attempt at goal of any note by either team , Stuart McCann ‘s head flick putting  Lok forward line partner Adam Forde through on goal only for his 15 yard shot to  strike the legs of outrushing  No 1 Burgess.

Visiting skipper David Brownlie then passed up a scoring half chance with a toe prod straight at the Beith keeper following a corner kick prior to whistler Ross Menzies calling time on an otherwise  uneventful first half .

Little had changed on the resumption with the dominant defences ensuring penalty box talking points were few and far between albeit Forde did pull a potential scoring shot wide of target before team mate Danny McKenzie’s last gasp headed clearance prevented an almost  certain  goal for lurking Beith hitman Kenny McLean .

Pollok’s attempts to work up a head of steam heading into the closing stages brought  McKinnon to unload attacking substitutes Weir and Callum Graham  from the bench  however the wherewithal  for victory looked to have escaped them  until McGregor’s crucial   intervention.

“Not so much disappointed as fuming “ was Beith gaffer Bryan Young’s take on things at the final whistle.

“I’m not for one minute going to pretend Beith deserved to win the game but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose it and were comfortably keeping Pollok at bay only for an individual error to cost us.

“It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for the guys to come away with nothing to show for their efforts and I only hope lessons will have been learned .”

The Ayrshiremen’s  defeat saw them relinquish seventh top spot in the table to the much improved  Rutherglen Glencairn whose striking discovery Jack McIlween  bagged a brace of  goals to earn a 2-1 comeback win away to Troon for whom Stevie Wilson had netted.

The Glens also leapfrogged over Irvine Meadow , victims of a shock 2-1 defeat at home to relegation threatened  Rossvale despite leading 1-0  through a Michael Wardrope  counter at the halfway stage.

A penalty kick miss by Medda captain Mark McLennan proved a turning point as the Vale rallied to firstly equalise through Brad Rodden prior to Mikey McWilliams showing how it should be done from 12 yards  to clinch a 2-1 success.

Yet another penalty kick award  contributed to Auchinleck’s  narrow downfall at the Buffs Park as Rikky Hanvey scored with the rebound from  Bot keeper Andy Leishman  blocking his initial attempt from the spot.

In other games,striking pair  Nikky Little and Ross McPheron were on target in Clydebank’s 2-0  defeat of Kilbirnie Ladeside and a Scott Ferguson hat trick plus scores by Allan McKenzie and Ryan Thomson enabled Darvel to run out 5-2 winners over Rob Roy whose marksmen were Craig Truesdale and  Sean McMonagle  while

Blantyre Vics threatened  an upset when 1-0 ahead through a Ryan Whitley goal  away to Hurlford United only for second half strikes by Marc McKenzie and Lewis Whiitaker to turn the outcome in United’s  favour .

Cumnock were decidedly not so fortunate at home to Glenafton  despite Kyle McAusland  cancelling out Olly Rowe’s opener for their near neighbours  for whom James McLernon , Craig Pettigrew and Sam McKee added further scores in chalking up a 4-1 triumph  while a share of the spoils ensued at Guys Meadow where  Dale Fulton’s conversion of a penalty kick giving Cumbernauld United  a 1-0 half time lead over Benburb was levelled by Govan front man  Declan McDonald.

United’s lapse was seized upon by fellow drop zone strugglers Largs Thistle thanks to a 5-1 thrashing of Bonnyton Thistle thanks to goals from Blair McIntyre, Will Sewell, Stuart Faulds , Laurie McMaster and Sean McLeod.

RESULTS: P.D.M Buildbase Premier League.Kilwinning Rangers  1 Auchinleck Talbot 0, Cumbernauld Utd 1 Benburb 1, Largs Thistle 5 Bonnyton Thistle 1, Troon v Rutherglen Glencairn, Hurlford Utd 2 Blantyre Vics 1, Clydebank 2 Kilbirnie Ladeside 0, Darvel 5 Rob Roy 2, Beith 0 Pollok1, Irvine Meadow 1 Rossvale 2, Cumnock 1 Glenafton 4. PDM Buildbase Conference League A.Irvine Vics 1 Bellshill Athletic 2, Girvan v Muirkirk,  Whitletts Vics 1 Shotts Bon Accord 2, Glasgow University 2 Arthurlie3,  Maryhill  2 Saltcoats Vics 1, Maybole 2 Lugar Boswell 1, Forth Wanderers  0 Johnstone Burgh 1, Lesmahagow 0 Craigmark 2.PDM Buildbase Conference League B. Greenock 3 St Cadocs 2, Ashfield  6 Carluke Rovers 0, Glasgow Utd 3 Gartcairn2, Ardeer Thistle 0 Kello Rovers 0, Port Glasgow 0 Thorniewood Utd 1.PDM Buildbase Conference League C. Vale of Clyde 3 Drumchapel Utd 3, St Rochs  v Yoker Athletic, Lanark Utd v Neilston, East Kilbride Thistle 5 Wishaw 3, Larkhall Thistle 2 Ardrossan  Winton Rovers 1, St Anthonys 1 Vale of Leven 0.PDM Buildbase Division Four.Glenvale  0 Finnart 4, Harthill Royal 1 Campbeltown Pupils 1, Kilsyth Athletic 4 St Peters 3.