It was a tough night for Maryhill on Wednesday as three goals in each half saw league leaders Arthurlie leave Lochburn with maximum points to continue their unbeaten start to the season.
Doubles from Dale Simeon and Gary Smith coupled with further strikes from Gary Carroll and former Hill favourite Tam McGaughey saw the visitors run out 6-1 winners, with Jay McInally’s fourth goal of the season merely a consolation for Maryhill.
The opening 20 minutes were pretty even with Simeon’s scuffed shot early on the closest either side came to taking the lead, but a big stroke of luck soon after saw the ‘Lie open the scoring. A shot from the edge of the area looked harmless enough, but it took a wicked deflection which looped the ball over the defence where Simeon was able to lob Garry Black in the goal, despite claims of offside.
That goal, unsurprisingly, settled the leaders and after McGaughey saw his free kick clip the bar on its way over, you sensed a second goal was coming, although maybe not as much of a gift as it was.
Black came racing from his goal and headed the ball clear, but as Cammy Clark tried to hook the ball over his head, he instead booted it straight back towards his own goal where Simeon was again waiting to knock the ball beyond the retreating Black.
It was three just three minutes later when the ball was worked to McGaughey whose powerful drive from the edge of the box was simply too strong for the keeper.
Maryhill did eventually cause some problems for the away defence with James Scott keeping out McInally’s effort before Matt Meechan’s ball across goal was just out of reach of Craig Patterson.
Black was involved again at the other end just before the break when he did well to push behind Darren Ramsay’s effort as a shellshocked Hill went in three down at half time.
Knowing they had to score at least three second half goals to get something out of the game was a tough ask for the Hill, but they made the perfect start scoring just 75 seconds into the half with Meechan getting in down the left before picking out McInally who sneaked the ball home at the front post.
The positive start to the half continued as the hosts began to unsettle Arthurlie, but those hopes of an unlikely comeback were ended on the hour mark as McGaughey beat Black to the ball before being brought down by the keeper, allowing Carroll to fire the spot kick home.
Maryhill’s keeper did make another impressive save soon after though, tipping Jordan Leyden’s powerful shot over the bar, but it didn’t matter as Smith rose high from the corner to bullet a header high into the net.
Perhaps the best goal of the lot though was the away side’s final goal as a good passing move found Simeon down the right and his inch perfect ball across goal was clipped back over Black and into the net by Smith.
Despite there still being almost 20 minutes left to play at this point, that was the end of the scoring as a forgetful night was rounded off for a depleted Hill against a very strong Arthurlie side.
Maryhill: Black; O’Donnell, Browne, Etherson, Martin; Long (Dobbs, 68), Clark (Stevenson, 46), Wallace, Meechan; Patterson, McInally (Love, 73). Subs: Cameron (GK), McKay
Arthurlie: Scott, Zeb, Ramsay, Nolan, McFarlane (MacNeil, 63), Roulston, Carroll (McLaughlin, 68), Leyden, Smith, Simeon, McGaughey. Subs: Pirie