It’s now back-to-back defeats for Maryhill after Muirkirk became the second team to leave Lochburn with maximum points this season.

Darren Boyle, John Hetherton and Jamie Gray scored for the visitors as they continued their unbeaten start to the season. Jay McInally found the net on his return from injury for the Hill, with Craig Patterson shown a straight red card late on in the 3-1 defeat.

There was an early goal for Maryhill at the weekend, but they would concede early on this time with Darren Boyle left unmarked in the area to head home after less than three minutes.

Muirkirk nearly had a quickfire second when Christian Nadé won a header in the box, but his effort clipped the bar before being cleared.

The Hill did come back into the game and had two half chances through Patterson and Ryan Wallace, but neither effort could find a way past Nathan Bogle. Wallace did have the ball in the net on 21 minutes, but the referee ruled the goal out for handball in the build-up, although the decision did look harsh.

On the half hour mark though, Maryhill did level the scores with a deflection off Craig Stevenson seeing the ball fall to McInally who showed a good touch to knock the ball over Bogle into the net.

Just five minutes later however, the midfielder lost the ball in the middle of the pitch, allowing Muirkirk to play in Hetherton who sent a brilliant effort in off the underside of the bar with the outside of his right boot.

Maryhill had a lot of the ball in the second half but weren’t really causing the away defence any problems and were almost made to pay for it with Nadé twice going close, first forcing Cameron into a strong save from his header, before then dragging a shot wide.

The former Hearts and Hamilton striker was involved in the goal that sealed the points though, his flick on finding former Hill attacker Gray, who cut inside and fired a fantastic effort flying beyond Cameron into the top corner.

Things went from bad to worse for Maryhill late on when Patterson was sent off for forcing his head into Bogle, giving the referee no option but to show him red to round off a miserable night for the Hill.

Maryhill: Cameron; Browne, Clark (Kelly(T), 75), Etherson, Meechan; McEwan (Gray, 58), Kennedy, Stevenson, Wallace; Patterson, McInally (Long, 75). Not used: Black, Love, Martin

Muirkirk: Bogle, Peck, Bryan, Onanu, Boyle, Coyle, Gordon, O’Neill (Watupa, 23), Gray (Salsbury, 90), Hetherton (Steedman, 88), Nadé. Not used: Carslaw, Fleming