ARTHURLIE notched up back-to-back wins as Gary Smith scored twice to help seal a 3-1 victory over Cumnock at Dunterlie Park on Saturday.

The Lie had lots of the ball in the early stages but failed to find the killer pass to unlock the Cumnock backline.

Darren Gribben, who started after his impressive display off the bench against Troon, went close just after the half hour.

Taking possession on the right he skipped past two tackles before hitting a left-foot shot that Johnston had to get down low to save. Gribben then crossed for Smith who headed wide and the sides went in at the half-time break goalless.

Five minutes into the second half, Smith was first to reacted first when the ball broke inside the Cumnock box to fire home the opener.

Anson was introduced for McRobbie as the visitors looked to add more muscle to their forward line. He almost had an immediate impact when showing fleet of foot, he controlling the ball before stepping away from his marker and cracking a blistering left-foot shot that must have stung the fingertips of Hay, who touched it over for a corner.

Lie introduced Martin Curren for Chris Mackie on the 57th minutes, but on the hour the game should have been level.

Williams, who had also come on for Cumnock, showed great skill on the right before hitting a precision pass great ball into the near post but Wood and Montgomerie both came rushing in and got in each other’s way as the ball flew past Hay’s post.

Arthurlie were still in charge but the one-goal lead meant they were on thin ice, so when Smith hit home from the edge of the box here was a huge sigh of relief from the home support.

Jordan Leyden forced Johnston into a good save on 72 minutes, but a minute later Cumnock pulled a goal back.

McKenzie made good progressed down the right and when near the byline he looked up and cut the ball back behind the backtracking Arthurlie defenders and right into the path of Anson who slid in and hit home.

The nerves were only jangling for two minutes though as when Curren’s pass played a great ball in from the right found Gribben, who sent killed the ball with his first touch, sending Johnston the wrong one way before slipping the ball past him to restore the two-goal lead.

David Morrison and Daryl Convery were introduced for Ryan Deas and Graham Girvan, this ending Girvan’s run as the only Arthurlie player to have played every minute of the nine competitive games to date.

Curren had another chance when he glided past three tackles before shooting from inside the box but Johnston denied the youngest and at the other end Anson saw his free kick come back off the Arthurlie wall. Arthurlie broke up the park at pace and once again Curren was on the end of the move but again Johnston denied him.

Arthurlie: Hay, Girvan, Palmer, Blakey, Gair, Nimmo, Deas, Leyden, Smith, Mackie, Gribben.

Subs: Morrison, Convery, Curren, and Macklin.

Cumnock: Johnson, Wood, Crawford, Lundie, McKenna, Esplin, Samson, Hunter, McKenzie, Montgomerie, and McRobbie.

Subs: Williams, Anson, Wells, Auld, and Buchanan.