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Twitter minute when the 29 year old strode onto a cut back to rifle a rising 35 yard shot high into the postage stamp beyond a diving Brown’s outstretched arms.

Sloan added: “We scored some excellent goals with Popey’s strike the pick of the bunch but let’s not forget all we have done is keep the title alive and it’s important not to get carried away with one result.”

Talbot skipper Willie Lyle echoed his manager by playing down the significance of the result.

He said: “Conditions were abysmal but our players rolled up our sleeves and didn’t let it affect them.

“It is satisfying to play in that manner but you don’t win titles in December and come March time we are going to have a lot of ground to make up on Hurlford so let’s not be thinking the hard work is done.

“I’m hearing a lot of people saying we are now the team to beat but all we can do is go about our business as usual and see where it gets us.”

The paucity of Hurlford’s performance was not glossed over by assistant manager John Dempster afterwards.

He said: “The result is a disappointment but on the day, we were well beaten by a stronger, hungrier and fitter team so we can have no complaints.

“If there’s one team you cannot afford to start poorly against, it is Auchinleck Talbot. They were excellent whereas we just never trapped and were second best all over the pitch but maybe this result is the kick up the backside we need.”

Only two other Premiership games beat the elements with new Cumnock manager Paul Burns getting away to the worst possible start in a 3-0 defeat at home to Glenafton for whom Cammy Marlow, Joe Andrew and Mick McCann scored.

Irvine Meadow recovered from conceding an early Christian Nade score for Troon to win 2-1 at Meadow Park with goals from Andy McLaughlin and Roddy Patterson.