Rabs put title bid on hold to take West test

Rob Roy boss Stewart Maxwell isn't thrilled with his side's back-to-back finish against Glenafton

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy's hopes of becoming Super League champions will be governed by their final double header with rivals Glenafton.

But remarkably Stewart Maxwell’s side don’t yet know when the first of those matches will take place.

The sides are pencilled in to meet at Guy’s Meadow this Saturday - but before then Rob Roy have a West of Scotland Cup quarter-final at Cumnock tonight (Wednesday).

And should they win, with the West final scheduled for the following Saturday, their semi-final with either Auchinleck Talbot or Darvel would take precedence and the Glenafton game would be put back.

Boss Maxwell said: “It’s not been confirmed, but from what I’m led to believe the league game with Glenafton is provisional and if we win on Wednesday we play our semi-final on Saturday.”

Just one point separates the four title contenders as the season heads towards an incredible, nerve-shredding climax.

Saturday’s goalless draw at Beith left Stewart Maxwell’s side ahead of Glenafton only on goal difference with both Beith and Auchinleck Talbot just a point behind.

Rabs have two games to play, both against Glenafton. Beith have just one left, at home to Auchinleck, while both Glenafton and Auchinleck have three to play.

While the permutations are endless, Glenafton are the only one of the quartet who know they will be guaranteed the title if they win all their remaining fixtures.

Maxwell remains unimpressed that the fixture scheduling has given his side two closing games games against their title rivals.

He said: “I get that they want to make it exciting, but I still don’t think it’s right that we’ve got to play them in a double header at the end of a league campaign.

“Auchinleck could sit and get the spoils off it. If the two of us draw and cancel each other out they could win the league. I don’t think it should come down to that but that’s the way it is.”

But first Rabs have to focus on the clash with Cumnock and resist the temptation to put it on the back burner because of the demands of their title challenge.

Maxwell said: “It’s going to be a tough game. They’ve had a strong finish to the season.

“But we want to win the game. We want to win the West of Scotland Cup.

“It’s a big cup, the second bigggest in junior football, and Pollok are in the final waiting for the winners from our half so you’ve got a final at Newlandsfield in front of the home crowd.”