Bellshill Athletic 0-6 Arthurlie: Some of Art work ‘could have been stopped’ says 'Hill boss Gary Elliott

Tam McGaughey’s 10th minute free-kick goal for the second placed Barrhead side set the tone in this Conference A clash, before strikes by Dale Simeon (2) and Nad Zeb put the visitors 4-0 up at half-time.

Further goals arrived in the second half for Gary Carroll and Lee Roulston.

“It was by far the hardest test that we’ve come up against so far,” Elliott said.

"Arthurlie from start to finish were just excellent.

"I do think that we probably struggled a bit with the occasion, because as good as they were we know we could have done more to keep the score slightly more respectable.

"Because it is so early in this process, the game came quite soon and I think it would be unrealistic for us to have taken something from that."

Elliott said a couple of half-time substitutions had helped to stem the tide a bit.

“The boys definitely competed better in the second half,” he said.

"The message at half-time to the players was to compete better. We had to throw bodies on the line a bit more and just dig a bit deeper.

"It’s not easy playing a team like that but we needed to step up a gear.”

Bellshill, 10th with 26 points from 18 games, host Johnstone Burgh in the league this Saturday, KO 1.30pm.

"We are still building just now so it’s going to be tough,” Elliott said. "There’s not going to be any easy games for us but we’re relishing it.

"We’ve got a few new signings this week that we’re excited to have a look at.

"And it’s another home game. We’ve got the first one out the road.

"That experience was new for the players on Saturday so we’ll be embracing that and just hoping to put on a better display for the fans.”