DUNCAN Sinclair insists his Arthurlie side have exceeded all of his expectations after they eased past Irvine Meadow to record their fifth win on the bounce.

Lie had just three registered players when Sinclair joined in the summer but the swift turnaround now sees them sitting fourth place in the Championship table just one point behind third and nine points off the top.

The Dunterlie Park club are flying under Sinclair and the 5-1 win at the weekend was the first time the club have strung together five consecutive wins since 2013.

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The one-sided scoreline suggests an easy afternoon for Sinclair’s side and, in truth, it was over the 90 minutes but it wasn’t until they took the lead against the run of play on the half-hour mark that they eventually took control of the match and ran away with it.

The home side were in charge early on but Lie came to life to take the lead against the run of play 28 minutes in with Docherty bursting into the Vic’s area before being dragged down. Docherty himself stepped up to slot it home for his 10th of the season.

The home side hit back against the run of play themselves moments later after a sloppy back pass from James Marks.

But Marks made amends two minutes later, however, rising well to nod it home after a pin-point delivery from Docherty.

Lie increased their lead on the stroke of half-time with Marks grabbing his second of the day, reacting first to prod home a rebound.

Docherty got his second of the day five minutes after the restart to make it four with Marks turning provider this time before sub Andy Barrowman’s presence in the area forced Vic’s centre back Brian Anderson to head it into his own net as it finished 5-1. 

And Sinclair was delighted to see his side at their ruthless best as they eventually eased to the victory and insists even he is surprised at how well they have done so far this season.

He said: “To be sitting fourth place, just one point behind third and only nine away from the league leaders, at this stage of the season is great. I always say it’s one game at a time but we have been doing well to build this momentum and put ourselves in this position. 

“Five in a row is good for the boys too. I didn’t know that it was five years since the club last won five in a row but it is great for us.

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“All the credit must go to the boys, though. People don’t always see the hard work that goes in at training and we don’t always get a lot of time to train but they have put the work in and deserve this. 

“They just need to continue working, take it a match at a time and hopefully continue. When you think about where we were this summer when I came in with just three players to where we are now, it really has been a great turnaround. We are far ahead of our expectations really at this stage of the season.”

Arthurlie will be looking to make it six in a row and book their place in the fourth round of the Scottish Junior Cup this weekend as they welcome East Region Premier League North side Dundee Violet to Dunterlie Park. Kick-off 2pm.