Awesome Arthurlie produced a second-half super show to march into the fourth round of the Scottish Junior Cup.
Craig Palmer’s squad will face West of Scotland League rivals Shotts Bon Accord in the last 16 after seeing off Kirkintilloch Rob Roy on Saturday.
Goals from Gary Carroll, Jordan Leyden and Aaron Healy sank Rabs who had their manager and two players sent-off after the 87th minute as they lost the plot.
Rabs – who continue to play at their adopted home of Guy’s Meadow in Cumbernauld – pulled one back through Connor Hughes but it was too little, too late.
Delighted ‘Lie boss Palmer told the Paisley Daily Express: “I thought we were great for 90 minutes. We had a plan and I thought we had the better chances.
“The players were absolutely magnificent.
“We defended well, created chances and scored goals. I’m so proud of the boys; I thought they were excellent.
“The conditions weren’t the best but I thought we were in control and kept and passed the ball really well.”
The rain poured all afternoon in North Lanarkshire to ensure difficult conditions for both sets of players while fans of each club huddled under the roof of the main stand to shelter from the elements.
Rabs striker Robbie Young missed a host of first-half chances while, at the other end, Carroll had Arthurlie’s best opportunity of the first half with an effort tipped over the bar by keeper Kevin McAllister.
He would have felt home alone three minutes into the second half as the Barrhead boys took the lead. Nice play by Lee Roulston and Dale Simeon teed up Carroll who applied the back-post finish.
It was 2-0 in the 56th minute. The excellent Healy was brought down in the box by Dean Cairns with the referee pointing to the spot. Leyden’s penalty was saved by McAllister but the midfielder buried the rebound.
Incredibly, it was 3-0 in the 78th minute as Healy sprinted down the left-hand side then kept his composure to find the bottom corner of the net.
That was the final straw for Rabs gaffer Stewart Maxwell who had too much to say for himself and, fed up of listening, the ref ordered him from the dugout with three minutes remaining.
Strangely, Rabs responded positively with Hughes netting from close range.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Young’s miserable day at the coalface was capped with a red card for dissent to end any hopes of an unlikely fightback.
And with seven minutes of added-on time played, former Arthurlie player Derek McNab got a headstart in the race for the showers after a reckless lunge on Simeon.
Palmer added afterwards: “I thought we were well worth our win.”
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