Arthurlie put Scottish Cup Semi Finalists Cumnock to the sword at Dunterlie Park after surviving a first half battering to win through goals by Craig Malcolm and new signing Paddy Flannery. Any hope the home fans had that the ‘nock would be taking it easy ahead of their trip to Broadwood was blown away as the visitors tore into Arthurlie from the first whiste. Ritchie Barr went close inside 5 minutes when he got on the end of McNally’s cross but the striker fired wide. Arthurlie were not seeing much of the ball and it took until the 27th minute for their first effort on goal but John Johnston blasted his shot over the bar from 25 yards. Cumnock continued to dominate possession as the half wore on but the home defence stood firm and we reached half time with no scoring.

The second half was more like it for the home fans as the ‘lie turned the tables on Cumnock and started putting them under real pressure. John Bradford had replaced Eddie Annand at the break and the big strikers hold up play was pivotal in his side gaining the upper hand and he played in John Johnston on the hour but the midfielder was off target. Johnston again tried his luck five minutes later and this time his shot took a defelction and fell to Craig Malcolm who fired past Potter in the ‘nock goal for a vital lead. The visitors were shocked to be trailing in a game they really should have had out of sight and they put the hoke defence under all sorts of pressure in their bid to get back level but strikes from Murray, Barr and McLay were all dealt with by James Evans in the home goal. With 20 minutes remaining Stevie Farrell out paced his marker and was through on Evans but the keeper produced a super stop to again deny the ‘nock. With the visitors pouring more and more men forward the were taking chances at the back and Frank McKeown thought he had secured the points when he stabbed home a Sharp cross but the assistant had flagged for offside.

The last five minutes of the game resembled the Alamo for the home defence as Cumnock threw absolutely everything at them in search of an equalizer and they had an amazing escape in the 88th minute when the ball fell to Murray inside the six yard box, a goal looked certain as the nock midfielder blasted goalwards but the ball cannoned off Frank McKeowns chest and spun over the bar. The corner saw nock keeper Potter join the attack but his opposite number collected the cross and fired the ball upfield were Paddy Flannery was first to it and with the visiting goal unguarded the striker raced into the Cumnock half and slotted the ball home to wild celebrations on and off the field.

Arthurlie Evans, Gallacher, Sharp, McKeown, Wardle, Winter (McPhee 65), Johnston, Aitken, Annand (Bradford 45), Malcolm (Flannery 75), McFadden. Not used Ballantyne, Shields

Cumnock Potter, McDonald, McInally, Farrel, McGowan, Murray, Campbell, Weir, Barr, Hughes, McLay Subs Heffron, Henderson, Forde, Desmond, Armstrong