ARTHURLIE opened their league campaign with a 1-0 victory over Irvine Meadow on Saturday.

The victorious scoreline fires the monkey off of Lie’s back having not won an opening day fixture since 2009, when they secured a 4-2 victory away to Petershill.

The visitors started on the front foot and bossed the game from the first whistle. Eddie McTernan played a great through ball for Chris Dallas on 15 minutes but his effort was well saved by Daniel Tobin.

The resulting corner from Rhys Devlin found the head of Ryan McGregor but Tobin managed to get fingertips to the ball and put it over the top for another corner that was this time cleared.

Dallas was again through on goal 10 minutes later and, as the keeper raced from his line, the striker managed to get his shot away despite the presence of Grant Evans but the ball came back off the post. McTernan raced in and looked sure to bury the rebound but Rob Halliday somehow managed to block his effort and send it into the side netting.

A counter from a rare Irvine Meadow attack saw Conner McGlinchey play a fantastic ball wide to Gary Smith who took one touch before sending over a cross that Dallas failed to connect with.

Smith had another effort blocked before he set up Dallas who could only blaze over the bar.

With the half-time whistle the visiting support must have wondered if they would be left to rue not converting their superiority into goals.

Half-time: Irvine Meadow 0-0 Arthurlie Arthurlie came out into the second half and they once again showcased their superiority with a goal in 65 minutes.

A free-kick into the Meadow box was only partially cleared and skipper Ryan McGREGOR hit a low shot through a crowded box and beyond the despairing dive of Tobin to hand Lie the lead.

Meadow had struggled throughout to create anything of real note, with Paul Maxwell going closest with a headed effort over the bar.

With 15 minutes to go Gary Carroll replaced Smith for his Lie league debut, and he was soon in on the action, chasing down a supposed lost cause before teeing up McTernan to fire wide.

Carroll was again off and running with five minutes to go as he skipped beyond two challenges before playing in Dallas. The striker took a touch before setting up McGregor but the centre midfielder failed to keep his effort down.

That was to be the last of the chances with the game ending in Arthurlie’s favour courtesy of a solitary strike from their captain.

Arthurlie: White, Devlin, McGlinchey, Rushford, Tart. MacDonald, McTernan, McGregor, Smith, Dallas, MacKay.

Subs: Carroll, Maxwell, Cowie, Gair and Burns.

Barrhead Sport Man of the Match: Steven Tart.