Although Renton had lost many of its best players to professional sides, Kilsyth was not reckoned to be a challenge, with even the local media claiming that "they will not be surprised if they are beaten by a dozen goals, at the very least".

[5] Nevertheless, the Wanderers turned around at half-time 2–1 to the good, and, despite being under siege for the whole of the second half, hung on for the win;[6] a score so outlandish that "few could believe the evening papers".

[9] The club reached the third round, coming from 3–0 down with half-an-hour remaining to beat Clydebank Athletic 5–3 in the second, thanks to inspirational play by captain Cuthbert,[10] before the Vale of Leven pulled off the sort of result people expected Renton to inflict, beating the Wanderers 8–0 at Garrel Garden; all eight goals came in the second half.

[13] The club came close to winning the Stirlingshire Cup in 1892–93, taking the lead in the final at Brockville against East Stirlingshire and, with the scores at 1–1 in the second half, the Shire was reduced to ten men after Hastings was sent off for kicking a Wanderer; but, despite playing the better football, the Wanderers conceded a winner with four minutes remaining.

The club also reached the final of the Stirlingshire in the latter season, playing Falkirk at Merchiston Park, and took the lead in the first minute when Brown finished off a counter-attack, but by half-time the local side was 3–1 up, and with luck going against the Wanderers (including hitting a post just before the break), Falkirk scored three breakaway goals in the second half for a flattering 6–1 scoreline.

In 1899–1900 the club was forced to withdraw from the Central Combination after playing 9 games for financial reasons; one problem was the difficulty in securing fixtures or availability as the town was not close to a railway station.