Rob Roy preview

After losing their unbeaten record at Troon the previous week, Stewart Maxwell’s side went down 2-0 at home to Beith on Saturday.

And the Rabs boss admitted that the performance was probably as poor as his side have produced all season.

He said: “It was a bit of a midfield battle and I fel the two teams cancelled each other out.

“There wasn’t a lot in the game but I felt they battled better for second balls.

“We passed the ball well but in the final third we weren’t great and losing the first goal just before half-time was a bit of a hammer blow.

“Even at 1-0 down we were still in the game but a couple of mistakes and a ricochet led to their second goal and we were chasing the game.

“We didn’t play to our capabilities and and in the final third we were poor. But my general concern was that we weren’t picking up second balls and they were and eventually that takes its toll.

“If you don’t do that against a top team then you’ll find it very difficult to take anything from the game.

“They are a good side. They are Scottish Junior Cup holders and among the favourites for the league. That’s where we want to be and they showed the level you have to aspire to.

“Sometimes you have to change the way you play to combat the team you are playing against.”

Rob Roy face Ayrshire opposition for the third week in succession when Kilbirne come to Cumbernauld on Saturday.

And while he is hoping to have a full squad to choose, Maxwell admitted the time may have come to freshen up his starting line-up over the next couple of games.

He said: “We’ve had a great run and that was our poorest performance of the season on Saturday.

“Although we lost at Troon the week before I thought we played well, but that wasn’t the case against Beith.

“But it’s one game in 16 and we have to bounce back against Kilbirnie and look to get the three points which will take up closer to the line which, once we reach it, we can start to look at other things.

“Kilbirnie won their League Cup so it’s a battle of the two League Cup winners.

“They went out of the Scottish and they haven’t started the league well so they will be scrapping for everything and, as I’ve said before, there are no easy games in this league.”