AS Stevie Kerrigan was forced to wait for his first game in charge of Arthurlie following the postponement of Saturday’s West of Scotland Cup tie at Craigmark Burntonians, we take a look at the history of Lie’s clashes with Darvel as the teams prepare to face each other in the Scottish Cup on Saturday, February 13.

Kerrigan’s first game will be at Dunterlie this Saturday when Beith visit, kick-off is at 2pm.

But many fans’ thoughts may be drifting towards the Scottish Cup tie with Darvel tie on February 13 with a place in the last eight at stake.

It will be the eighth time the clubs have met in competitive action. The first meeting was back in 1935 in the short-lived West of Scotland Consolation Cup first round, where Arthurlie came out on top 6-1.

The next four meetings were all in the West of Scotland Cup proper. Arthurlie sneaked through into the second round by the odd goal in three in 1967 while it was a single goal win for the Barrhead side at the third round stage in 1976. In 1981 the sides drew 2-2 at Dunterlie Park in a second round tie and in the replay at Recreation Park on January 23 1982 the Barrhead side came out on top 5-2.

The next meeting between the clubs came in March 1985 in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup and Darvel were 2-0 winners. he following report was taken from the Barrhead News from the following week.

Darvel 2 Arthurlie 0

Scottish Junior Cup Round Four, March 2nd 1985

In this fourth round Scottish Cup tie, and before a large crowd, ‘Lea were bundled out at Dunterlie Park.

Lea settled quickly and looked the more dangerous side. A corner on the right and Barbour’s header had Muir in the Darvel goal scrambling to clear his lines.

Three corners from the home side showed which way the run of play was going however.

After fifteen minutes Redburn shot at goal, and although the ball was going past, Skippen went past the defence and his flying header flew into the net.

The referee gave the goal but the linesman on the far side had his flag up for offside, apparently against McCafferty, who was nowhere near the ball. This was a bad break for Arthurlie.

At this stage of the game the referee became over active with the yellow card showing no less than eleven times, seven to Arthurlie and four to Darvel. Despite the high number of bookings, the game could not be described as a dirty match.

Before the break Redburn, Murphy, and Skippen followed into the ref’s book. Darvel made a break on the right and only a good tackle by Hamilton saved the Lea goal. A move up the centre and Hamilton’s final shot was cleared by Muir.

Darvel, coming more into the game, forced two corners but these were easily dealt with. A quick move on the left and Miller’s fierce shot was palmed over the bar by the home keeper.

Hamilton was left in the clear but lobbed the ball wide of the post. On the stroke of half-time Renwick was booked and the score was Arthurlie 0 Darvel 0.

Shortly after play resumed Craigie of Darvel had his name taken for a wild tackle on a home player, and from the resulting free kick Muir in the visiting goal, cleared Skippen’s shot at the second attempt.

In the 55th minute came the first goal, and it started with a long ball down the middle, catching the Arthurlie defence on the wrong foot. Irwin came out to meet the ball, but hesitated and missed it completely, leaving Steel with an open goal to shoot Darvel into the lead.

Black marks here also for the central defenders. Geddes was next to be shown a yellow card and from the free on the edge of the area, Murphy lobbed the ball over the wall of defenders to Hamilton and his shot went narrowly over.

Russel, McCafferty and Hamilton wee next to go into the ref’s black book.

Darvel, with 25 minutes to go, broke on the right, and Craigie’s cross was sent into goal but blocked twice by Lea defenders before Steel shot into the corner of the net to put Darvel two in front.

Redburn, who had previously been booked, received his marching orders when the referee showed him a red card following a tackle on Craigie. This seemed a harsh decision, but having been booked previously the referee had little option but to order off the lea skipper.

To complete his bookings, Grant and Lake were the last of the offenders and Lea were a beaten side. It seemed as if the strikers with the exception of Skippen, could play all day and not score.

Arthurlie: Irwin, Russell, Miller, Quinn, Redburn, Murphy, Skippen, Ashcroft, Barbour, Hamilton, McCafferty.

Subs: Fox and Bennett.

Darvel: Muir, Renwick, Lockie, Lake, Geddes, Craigie, Steel, Gourlay, Finlayson, Walker, Grant,.

Subs: Lennon and McFarlane.

It was almost 20 years before the clubs would meet again when they were paired in the third round of the Scottish Cup in November 2014. the following report is again taken from the Barrhead News.

Arthurlie progressed in the Scottish Cup when they beat Darvel Juniors 6-2 in a third round tie played at Dunterlie Park.

Michael White was finally beaten though when a Jordan Ryan penalty ended Arthurlie’s run of 383 minutes without conceding a goal when he fired home on 22 minutes.

The home side started well and took the lead after three minutes as Danny Burns fired home a rebound past David Markey and open the scoring.

Ten minutes later Burns was away again this time from a Ryan McGregor through ball but his effort went wide.

Just after the quarter hour Arthurlie were awarded a free kick just outside the Darvel penalty area, Conner McGlinchey ran over the ball and Mark Blakey, making his 100th start for the club, hit a great effort that was only bettered by Markey’s save.

At the other end Blakey was adjudged to have pulled back Grant Kirkwood inside the area and referee Callum Haswell pointed to the spot in what was a very soft award, Ryan didn’t care though and fired the ball home to end Arthurlie’s run of over four games without conceding.

Blakey tried to make amends minutes later when he fired in a great right footed effort from the edge of the box but Markey was again equal to the effort making a great save.

Two minutes before the interval, With two minutes to go to halftime the ball was played into the Darvel penalty area and Jamie Lyden made a great run to the front post to head home his first competitive goal for Arthurlie and put the home side ahead as they neared the break.

That wasn’t to be the end of the first half action though asA minute later, McTernan fired a shot across the face of goal and Burns was again in the right place as he converted at the back post to increase the home sides advantage.

Right on half time, however, they were pegged back when Lyden was adjudged to have handled inside the area. Ryan stepped up to net his and Darvel’s second from the spot to end the scoring in a compelling first 45 minutes.

Into the second half and after twenty minutes Blakey raced into the Darvel penalty area where he looked to be pulled down by Jackson Biggar, referee Haswell not only waved away the Arthurlie protests for a penalty he somehow adjudged that Blakey had dived and issued him with a second yellow card ending his match for the day, a quite absurd call.

Paul Stewart was introduced for burns a minute later and almost immediately was in the action, Gavin Rushford spotted Stewart making a run and hit a quite sublime pass from defence into Stewart’s path but he was stopped by the assistant’s flag for running just a tad early and getting caught offside.

In the second half, White made a great save from Murray Johnstone before kicking long.

The ball was played inside to Chris Dallas, who turned and fired home to make it 4-2.

Just before the half hour Dallas hit another to increase the lead.

That was to be the prolific striker’s last involvement as he and McTernan were replaced by Gary Smith and Alan Muir.

With 10 minutes to go, Arthurlie got their sixth and best goal of the game.

Ryan McGregor held the ball up just inside the penalty area before laying it back into the path of McGlinchey.

He cracked an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box that flew past Markey and into the top corner.

Markey made a fantastic save to deny Smith right on full time as Arthurlie ran out comfortable winners and ensured they will be playing Scottish Cup football in the New Year.

Arthurlie: White, McGlinchey, Blakey, Lyden, Rushford, Devlin, McArdle, McGregor, Dallas, McTernan, Burns.

Subs: Doherty, Potter, Stewart, Muir, Smith.