NEW Glenafton Athletic boss Ryan Caddis made a winning start to his third managerial appointment of the season by leading the Loch Park side into the last 16 of the West of Scotland Cup at the weekend.

The big freeze of the previous weekend meant Caddis, who started the current campaign in the hotseat at Craigmark, had had to wait for his first game in charge of the New Cumnock side after making the move from Whitletts at the end of November.

But the wait was well worth it for the Glens' supporters as Caddis led his new squad to their first home win since mid-October, with the boss’s brother Liam heading home an early opener in their third round tie at home to Largs Thistle on Saturday before Michael Moffat chipped a stylish second over the Largs keeper’s head as the final 10 minutes loomed.

Veteran frontman Darryl Duffy pulled one back for the visitors, but Glens weren’t to be denied and Moffat’s second two minutes from time made it 3-1 and ensured Caddis’s tenure at Loch Park got off to the perfect start.

Holders Auchinleck Talbot also secured their place in the fourth round, and also at the expense of top-flight visitors – though they had to come from behind to do it after former Talbot frontman Mark Shankland gave Troon the interval advantage at Beechwood.

Talbot, though, were in no mood to let their grip on the trophy slip, and Connor Boyd levelled the tie within two minutes of the restart before Neil Slooves put the hosts in front with a bizarre strike when his punt forward from well inside his own half caught Troon keeper Dale Burgess off guard and off his line and bounced into the net.

Jamie Glasgow converted Boyd’s cross to put daylight between the teams before Ali Boyle's late strike completed Talbot's 4-1 win.

Elsewhere in the West Cup on Saturday, Beith ensured there would be no upset at home to fourth-tier Glasgow United, with Alan Docherty, Andy Monk, Conner McGlinchey and Aaron Mason all on target in a 7-3 second round win at Bellsdale for Chris Strain’s side, who will now travel to Holm Park to face Yoker Athletic in round three next month.

Darvel lined up a third round tie at home to Forth or Kilsyth Rangers, but they had to work hard for it at home to Third Division Greenock, who gave their top flight hosts an almighty fright before Graham Wilson’s late strike earned Tony McInally’s men a 3-2 win.

The only other Ayrshire side in West Cup action on Saturday were Fourth Division Eglinton, whose hopes of pulling off an upset were well and truly dashed after they lost 4-0 away to Shotts Bon Accord in the third round.

Three third round ties involving Ayrshire sides – Craigmark v Irvine Meadow, Hurlford v St Roch’s and Thorn Athletic v Ardrossan Winton Rovers – all fell victim to Saturday’s wet weather, with Winton’s tie called off around 90 minutes before kick-off due to persistent heavy rain, after their Johnstone hosts had originally given it the green light.

Findlay Frye’s late strike earned Cumnock all three points at home to Arthurlie in Saturday’s only Premier Division fixture; Robbie Young had given the hosts a 2-0 interval lead, but Dylan Fletcher and Lee Roulston pulled the visitors level in the final 15 before Frye popped up with virtually the last kick of the ball to secure a 3-2 win for Murdie MacKinnon’s side.

Graham Boyd hit a hat-trick as Kilwinning Rangers bounced back from the disappointment of their West Cup loss at home to Ardrossan Winton Rovers by chalking up a 4-2 First Division victory away to managerless Maybole, with Keiren Wood also on target in thoroughly miserable conditions as Buffs picked up a crucial win that keeps them in touch with the top three.

William Dawson and James Hazlett were Muirkirk’s goalscorers in the 2-0 Second Division victory away to East Ayrshire rivals Bonnyton Thistle, but in the Third Division, Ardeer Thistle boss Sean Kenney – fresh from signing a new contract with the club – admitted his side got “exactly what we deserved” after losing 3-0 away to Port Glasgow.

Two Ayrshire WOSFL clubs are in midweek action this Wednesday (December 13), with Beith away to Gartcairn and Cumnock travelling to Pollok.

Fixtures for Ayrshire’s WOSFL sides this Saturday, December 16, are as follows.

Scottish Junior Cup, fourth round: Hurlford v Caledonian Locomotives, Darvel v Larkhall Thistle, Vale of Leven v Auchinleck Talbot.

Premier Division: Cumnock v St Cadoc’s, Glenafton v Clydebank, Irvine Meadow v Beith, Largs v Troon.

First Division: Johnstone Burgh v Whitletts, Kilbirnie Ladeside v Blantyre, Kilwinning v Renfrew.

Second Division: Bonnyton v Kilsyth Rangers, Glasgow Perthshire v Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Muirkirk v Maryhill.

Third Division: Ardeer v Threave Rovers, Dalry Thistle v Lesmahagow, Girvan v Lanark United, Irvine Vics v Greenock, Kello v West Park United.

Fourth Division: Giffnock SC v Saltcoats Vics, Lugar v Thorn Athletic, Glenvale v Eglinton.