Nothing summed up the splendid Springburn Festival of Football more than Saturday’s latest round of match-ups.

None of the outcomes were as most might have predicted but the very manner of them could easily have been bracketed as "pre-season stuff" - but that’s not to suggest the upset victories posted by St Roch's, St Anthony's and Maryhill were anything less than fully deserved.

The list of reasons for the so called underdogs to be cheerful were long, particularly the Candy Rock’s 1-0 triumph over higher league Rossvale that will forever be remembered by one of the Garngad club’s up-and-coming talents as the realisation of a dream.

Michael McGregor, normally an attacking midfielder with St Roch’s Under-20s side, was only included in Paul Kelly’s first team squad to give him a taste of what might have been but for his career decision to head out to Kansas next week to take up a sports scholarship.

His long-coveted moment arrived when coming off the bench with 20 minutes left to play and the teams locked at 0-0. The 87th minute saw him  duly take centre-stage in Roy of the Rovers fashion after he latched onto an attempted Rossvale clearance to rifle home a powerful 20-yard drive for the only goal of the game.

Afterwards the youngster beamed: "It was a lovely touch by the manager to include me in his plans after being told of my disappointment at missing out on the chance to play for St Roch's.

“Going to Kansas looked to have robbed me of the opportunity so I felt thrilled to bits at being asked to come along today and was champing at the bit to get on. Never in a million years did I expect to score the winning goal.

“I had dreamt of it happening more than a few times yet it felt so unreal when the ball went past their goalkeeper and my team-mates then swarmed all over me.”

Rossvale enjoyed the better of first-half action with the possession play of Ross Alexander and Jonny Kavanagh catching the eye. However, going forward they rarely troubled the opposing backline where stopper Brian McQueen was dominant and the opening 45 minutes ended 0-0.

Half-time brought a veritable raft of changes for both combatants but tellingly, Rossvale’s withdrawal of their midfield duo saw them relinquish control to a more attack-minded St Roch's and several near things ensued that Jamie Longworth and Liam McLaughlin could - and probably should - have netted.

The raw pace of Candy striker Connor Hughes was benefiting from his side playing more directly and a turning point in the game arrived in 66 minutes when he won a race for a through ball against Vale defender Aboubaka Karamakko, whose despairing challenge from behind sent Hughes crashing to earn an obligatory, albeit harsh, red card from whistler Sean Murdoch.

The free-kick award was kept out by Vale keeper Craig Gordon’s diving save  but he should have been picking the ball out of his net shortly afterwards  when McWilliams was put clean through on goal, only for his lobbed shot to carry high over the crossbar.

McGregor’s goal saw the pressure eventually tell for the numerically superior St Roch's but they came close to being pegged back in injury time after Ross Kavanagh raced clear, went slightly wide in rounding goalkeeper Chris Calder, and could only find the side-net with his parting shot.

Vale boss David Gormley insisted: "Today was all about players getting minutes under their  belts so it goes down as a good session for everyone from that perspective.

“Ours is a very young side and will be better for taking on board the lessons learned from this game.”

St Roch’s victory which leaves them as the only unbeaten side in the six-team Festival format was to the liking of gaffer Kelly.

He reflected: "Today is pleasing because it’s a sign that we have a good squad of players and are going in the right direction.

“Second half we changed our shape and looked far more threatening in the final third, albeit we never scored the goals our outfield play deserved. But we will improve, of that I’ve no doubt.”

Earlier goals from Colin Leverage and Ben Dailly had Ashfield 2-0 to the good at the halfway stage against St Anthony's but Paul Maxwell’s men came unstuck as a result of seven interval substitutions and the battling Ants scored three times through Rui Carballo, Warin Omar (pen) and Evanista Bembo to take the spoils.

And injury-ravaged Rob Roy suffered a 2-1 defeat by Maryhill for whom Cammy O’Neil and Craig Patterson were on the mark while  Ciaran Reilly countered with the Rabs’ consolation score.

In other friendly affairs, Dylan McLaughlin  bagged a hat trick in Greenock’s 6-0 hammering of Vale of Leven, Chris Jarvie helped himself to three goals as Newmain United ran out 6-0 winners over Royal Albert and Ciaran Diver netted both goals in Renfrew’s 2-1 defeat of Kilbirnie Ladeside.

Kieran Brophy was twice on target in Neilston’s 4-3 success against Arthurlie, newcomer Callum Veitch was a double scorer as Cumnock overcame St Cadoc's 3-2, while Darren Miller grabbed a brace of goals in another high scoring affair, Darvel’s 5-4 win away to Sauchie.

Keir Samson, Graham Wilson and Corey Pearson did the damage as Auchinleck Talbot beat Johnstone Burgh by a 3-0 scoreline. Sam McConnell and Ciaran Lafferty were on target in Bellshill’s 2-0 besting of Lesmahagow while Largs Thistle had George Sewall and Jack Haggarty to thank for a 2-1 victory over Ardrossan Winton Rovers, for whom Rory Campbell was on the mark.

RESULTS: Johnstone Burgh 0 Auchinleck Talbot 3, Rob Roy 1 Maryhill  2, Glenafton 3 Kello Rovers 1, Beith 8 Lugar Boswell 0, Vale of Leven 0 Greenock 6, Sauchie 4 Darvel 5, Largs Thistle 2 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 1, Ashfield 2 St Anthony's 3, Clydebank 5 Clydebank U20s 0, Bellshill Athletic 2 Lesmahagow 0, Carluke Rovers 2 Forth Wanderers 2, Neilston 4 Arthurlie 3, St Roch's 1 Rossvale 0, Newmains Utd 6 Royal Albert 0, Larkhall Thistle 4 Tannochside Utd 2, Kilbirnie Ladeside 1 Renfrew 2, Cumnock 3 St Cadoc's 2.