Kirkintilloch Rob Roy thrilled with Scottish Junior Cup win over Arthurlie

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy boss Stewart Maxwell was full of praise this week for his young side after they stormed into the last four of the Scottish Junior Cup.
Rob Roy's Craig Truesdale scored the first goal in the win over Arthurlie (pic: Dave Taylor)Rob Roy's Craig Truesdale scored the first goal in the win over Arthurlie (pic: Dave Taylor)
Rob Roy's Craig Truesdale scored the first goal in the win over Arthurlie (pic: Dave Taylor)

Rob Roy are just one match away from their first Scottish final since 1977 after thumping Arthurlie 4-1 in Saturday’s quarter-final at Kilsyth.

Rabs, who last won the trophy 60 years ago, now face record winners Auchinleck Talbot in a semi-final at a neutral venue next month.

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With Guy’s Meadow unplayable, the tie was switched to Kilsyth Rangers’ Duncansfield Park and Rob Roy found the surroundings to their liking as Craig Truesdale fired in a first-half free-kick to put them in front.

Arthurlie skipper and former Rob Roy man Gary Carroll levelled before the break but a half-time switch by Maxwell couldn’t have worked out any better as substitute Michael Baber grabbed a second-half hat-trick.

The Rabs boss admitted that he was concerned beforehand about how his young side would handle the occasion and was delighted at how they responded.

He said: “That was my worry, what Rob Roy comes out. We’ve been in this movie a few times, in the quarter-finals and not quite performed against more experienced players, and let ourselves down.

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“Going in with a young, inexperienced side, we started really well and Craig Truesdale scored a magnificent free-kick and we looked flowing and expansive going forward and they couldn’t cope with us.

“In the first 20 minutes, we should have been three up, but they made a slight tweak to their formation and scrapped their way back into the game, and for a 20-minute spell they were the better side. But we kicked on again and Michael Baber showed he can be a big game player with a brilliant hat-trick.

“For the inexperience of our squad, we were terrific. In the end, I thought they got off lightly at 4-1 with the chances we created, but at the end of the day in a cup tie, it doesn’t matter if it’s 1-0 or 10-0. It’s about going through and I was delighted for everyone connected with the club.

“We’ve obviously got the toughest draw but at Rob Roy we don’t do anything easy!

“Auchinleck will be overwhelming favourites but they will be very wary of us because we’ve already turned them over this year.”

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