Troon Football Club

Recap

 Troon F.C. 2-0 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 
Saturday 5th December 2020
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier Division
Portland Park, Troon KA10 6QN
Kick-off 1.45pm

 

MATCH REPORT by Richard Henderson

Troon maintained their excellent unbeaten start to the league campaign with a hard-fought win at home to Kirkintilloch Rob Roy.

The Seasiders were delighted to welcome back James McGowan to the starting line-up after missing the win at Rutherglen through suspension, but were missing Jaime Gallagher after his injury time red card last week. Jordan Morton was forced to miss out with a calf strain, but was fit enough for a place on the bench. The personnel changes certainly didn’t slow the Seasiders’ forward momentum in recent weeks, and they took the lead as early as the fourth minute when Captain Raymond Montgomerie fed Dean Fulton down the right flank, and his cross was met by a stooping Scott Chatham to nod the home team into an early lead.

Rather than go for the jugular, Troon rested on their laurels a little at this point & invited pressure, pressure the Rabs were only too happy to provide & Ciaran McPherson was the first to threaten for the visitors, although Ross Lundy was relieved to see his shot sail harmlessly over the crossbar. The impressive Craig Truesdale was pulling the strings in midfield for Rob Roy and he freed Alex Cassells for an effort on goal that Lundy comfortably smothered. Troon were still a threat going forward, and a lovely passing move from Chatham, Jack Sherrie & Josh Black saw Ryan Stevenson get his first sight of goal, only for Scott Walker to recover to block. That was only a sighter though, as Stevenson was next to threaten, this time with a 35 yard driver which Matthew Kerr watched sail over his crossbar. Rabs Captain Scott Walker was getting forward really well from right-back, and he had three excellent chances to draw Rob Roy level on the half hour mark. His first effort, a drive from distance hooked past the post, and his second drive was headed for a corner by Isaac Kerr before his next shot was deflected to safety by James McGowan.

The first moment of controversy came shortly before the refs whistle blew, the visiting dugout going wild with appeals for a handball against Dean Fulton at the edge of the box, but referee William Wilson, in a great place to make the call, waved the claims aside.

HALF-TIME: TROON F.C. 1-0 KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY

Just like in the first half, Troon opened strongly and a move from Chatham & Todd Henderson saw the 18 year old full-back fouled at the edge of the box after good interplay. Troon had a penalty shout of their own as an Alan Frizzell cross struck the arm of Kian Gilday, but the ref judged it accidental and waved the claims away. The second, and killer, goal came in the 50th minute. An Isaac Kerr clearance was brought down by Stevenson, great feet by Frizzell meant he fed Black for the former Ross County winger to smash past Kerr to double the advantage. This excellent Roy side didn’t give up hope for a second, and could have worked their way back into the game shortly after when Robbie Leighton drove into the box and tumbled under a Frizzell challenge, but ref Wilson again was in a good position to wave away the claims. New signing Louis Kerr replaced Ryan Stevenson on the hour to make his competitive debut for the club, and he nearly set-up a goal with his first touch; a clever turn set away Dean Fulton, but the defender thwarted. Fellow sub Ryan Nisbet was desperate to make an impact & he nearly scored with his first touch, but he was unlucky to narrowly head a Black free-kick over Kerr’s crossbar. After a number of penalty shouts throughout the game, Troon were awarded the only spot-kick of the game on 74 minutes when Dean Fulton stole the ball high up & drove for the box, with the eager Conor Bell wiping him out as he bore down on goal. Winger Josh Black stepped up, but Kerr saved well down to his right-hand side.

Another victory for the Seasiders, and yet another we had to work very hard for against a Rob Roy side which has recruited very well over the summer with some excellent young players. Three points keep us second in the early table behind early pacesetters Clydebank. The return match against Rutherglen Glencairn next weekend at Portland Park will be another tough challenge with the ‘Cairn keen to exact revenge.

 

 MATCH OFFICIALS 

Referee: William Wilson
Assistant Referee One: Kai Skeoch
Assistant Referee Two: Hannah McLean

 

 

 MATCH HIGHLIGHTS 

 

 

📸 MATCH PHOTOGRAPHS 📸

Match photographs, courtesy of the club’s new official photographer JP, are available to view below:

 

 MATCH PREVIEW 

To read the match preview, follow the link: http://troonfootballclub.co.uk/krr-051220-preview/

 

 

 NEXT FIXTURE 

 Troon F.C. versus Rutherglen Glencairn 
Saturday 12th December 2020
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier Division
Portland Park, Troon KA10 6QN
Kick-off 1.45pm