Arthurlie went down 4-0 to reigning league champions Auchinleck Talbot at Dunterlie Park on Saturday in the opening league game.

The game started with both sets of players trying to stamp their authority on proceedings and it was the visitors who took the lead with the game’s first real opening on 13 minutes.

A free-kick on the right was whipped over by Young, Wilson got his head to it but Grant Hay in the home goal made a fantastic save, touching the header on to the junction between post and crossbar. But when the ball rebounded out, Latta put the ball back across goal for Pope to head home.

Arthurlie were edging possession but couldn’t carve open the Talbot defence and resorted to long-range shooting that was never going to trouble Leishman, and it was the visitors who went further ahead on the half hour mark.

A long ball down the middle saw Wilson and David Morrison give chase and when the Arthurlie defender got his foot to the ball he deflected it over Hay who had raced from his line.

in an unfortunate incident.

Gary Smith was introduced at the break for Darren Gribben and this seemed to lift the home side. They tried to get a foothold in the game and they almost managed it just after the restart.

Ryan McGregor’s cross was met by Leishman who punched it straight to Ryan Deas. Deas fired at goal and was only denied by a great save from Leishman as he atoned for his earlier mistake.

Chances were starting to come and when Leishman dropped the ball in the penalty area, Arthurlie were unfortunate that no one reacted quickly before the danger was cleared.

Deas had another effort as Arthurlie turned the screw but they couldn’t find the target with Deas again and Gary Carroll spurning decent opportunities.

It was the visitors who were to prove more clinical however, when Miliken controlled the ball on the edge of the area and coolly shot home past a helpless Hay to put the result beyond doubt.

Daryl Convery replaced Ian Nimmo but the game was over by now and all that was left was for Talbot substitute Pooler to hit home the fourth in added time to put a harsh scoreline on a game that was much closer that the result indicated.

Arthurlie: Hay, Girvan, Palmer, Morrison, Gair, Nimmo, Leyden, McGregor, Carroll, Deas, Gribben. Subs: Smith, Curren, Turner, Convery, Macklin.

Auchinleck Talbot: Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvey, Boyle, Hyslop, Latta, White, S Wilson, Milliken, Young. Subs: Stevenson, Pooler, Thomson, McPherson, Hewitt.