by Robert Burns The result means that the two sides will have to do battle once more when they go head-to-head in the replay played at Guys Meadow Park this weekend, as they vie for the right to travel to meet Penicuik United in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

The game started off slowly, and if truth be told never really came to life as both sides tried to suss one another out.

The visitors had the game’s first chance after 20 minutes when a ball was whipped into the Arthurlie penalty area, but as Kevin Watt shot Ryan McGregor was on hand to make a great block before Rhys Devlin cleared the danger.

On the half hour Watt had another effort. This time he tried his luck with a free-kick but Michael White gathered with ease.

As usual he fed the ball early to Gavin Rushford who moved it inside to Alan Muir. Muir hit a long ball to Eddie McTernan who took one touch before crossing for Dallas, only for the big striker to be tackled at the crucial moment and the chance was gone.

Failure to take their chances proved costly for Arthurlie as it was the visitors that broke the deadlock.

Former Renfrew man Scott Upton struck a strong effort that White struggled to gather, allowing Paul FINNEGAN in to hit home the rebound.

With the first half drawing to a close Arthurlie were handed a golden ticket to get back on level terms when Dallas went down inside the penalty box. Referee Crothers pointed straight to the spot for what looked a soft decision, and much to the distaste of Stewart Maxwell on the Rob Roy bench.

DALLAS dusted himself down and fired past Murdoch to level the match at the break.

Four minutes into the second half and Arthurlie had another claim for a spot kick. McTernan played through a deflected pass into the path of Danny Burns who collided with Finnegan, but instead the ref booked the Arthurlie player for diving when it looked more of a penalty than the previous award.

Gary McMenamin forced White into a fantastic save five minutes later, then the Arthurlie keeper had to be alert to put a great cross from Upton over the bar seconds later.

Ryan McArdle was introduced for Burns as new boss Robert Downs looked to freshen things up before McTernan fired just wide just before the 65 minute mark.

McMenamin saw his shot from a Jonathan Carter knock on go close as both sides as both sides went in search of the winner.

However Arthurlie’s chances took a turn for the worse when they were reduced to 10 men on the 75 minute mark.

McMenamin and Rhys Devlin clashed in the middle of the park with the Arthurlie defender retaliating to a bad tackle which the referee deemed as a sending off offence for the Arthurlie midfielder, but deemed McMenamin’s offence worthy of a yellow.

Gary Smith came on for Dallas minutes later and then Muir had Jonathan Murduch scrambling as his effort caught the keeper off balance.

In the end neither side could force the breakthrough and will try again next Saturday.

Arthurlie: White, McGlinchey, Blakey, Lyden, Rushford, Devlin, Muir, McGregor, Dallas (Smith), McTernan, Burns (McArdle).

Subs not used: Doherty, Stewart and Green.