Beith Match Preview – Troon Football Club

After 9 competitive matches of the season, it’s time for the big one – the Scottish Communities Cup, the new name for the Scottish Junior Cup. And for Scottish Cup day, we make a short trip to one of a lot supporter’s favourite away days in Beith’s Bellsdale Park.

⚽️ Beith versus Troon F.C. ⚽️
Saturday 20th September 2025
3 Pillars Financial Planning Scottish Communities Cup Round 2
Bellsdale Park, Beith
Kick-off 2.30pm

Saturday was a frustrating day, but in a fantastic start to the season we have only two defeats against Talbot to blot the copybook in an otherwise perfect start & we have to bounce back like we did against Drumchapel. Talbot seem to be an unstoppable juggernaut this season, so perhaps we shouldn’t beat ourselves up too much on that one.

The cups were the only source of disappointment in an otherwise fantastic season last time out, and that is therefore an area we are looking to improve on this season. The Scottish Communities Cup is obviously the big one for us, and the West holds a special place for Troon fans, but with Beith this week & then the visit of either Ardrossan Winton Rovers or Cumnock in the West, we could hardly have been set harder challenges.

Beith have seen a real summer of flux, which almost seemed inevitable after Chris Strain stepped down as Manager just before our match in March. A massive number of players departed for pastures new in May, and a strong period of recruitment has followed the appointment of new Manager Michael Dunlop. Now he has the job of moulding the new recruits together into a unit, but with the games coming thick & fast that presents it’s own challenges.

N.B. You can watch the draw for the 3 Pillars Financial Planning Scottish Communities Cup 3rd Round on their YouTube channel on Friday 19th September at 7pm!

https://www.youtube.com/@ScottishCommunityFA

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s match…

Good to see the majority of the squad available for selection on Saturday, ahead of another important month in September.

New signing from Kilmarnock, Craig Watson, come straight into contention following his season-long loan move from Rugby Park. Summer signing Kyle Faulds finally made his full debut for the club at Drumchapel after returning from a calf injury, and turned in a Man of the Match performance. Sam Jamieson has returned to full training & is available for selection this weekend following his injury against Renfrew on the opening day. Leyton Dunlop sat out on Saturday with a calf knock picked up at Drumchapel, but he’s back in training this week raring to go.

Captain Mark Morrison is back to light training while he is awaiting a consultant appointment and hopefully we’ll see him back on the park soon, while Scott McLean is continuing his rehab from his knee reconstruction surgery. He is back to gentle running now & is eyeing a comeback around Hallowe’en.

Scottish Junior Cup weekends just feel different, it’s everybody’s favourite weekend of the year & something we all look forward to. And no doubt Richard will be reminding me it’s not the Scottish Junior Cup anymore, it’s the Scottish Communities Cup, but I think we’ll all call it the Scottish Junior for quite some time yet!

This time last year we were getting ready to head for a memorable weekend up in Dufftown, which is exactly the kind of trip that makes this competition so worthwhile and why everyone has an attachment to it that other competitions struggle to match.

Looking forward to a trip to Beith again, a very different challenge to what we faced at this stage last season and one we’ll embrace. Always get a warm welcome at Beith, a club we always get on very well with. The league match at Portland earlier this season was a very tight affair and I’m not expecting any different this weekend against a good side, and one which has recruited well since we last faced them. Thomas Collins is a top player who has been there, seen it & done it at this level, whilst Ross Smith is a cracking player who really caught the eye at Talbot, so a different proposition to the August match.

Lets get a strong turnout, support the club & try to cheer us on to the 3rd round. ‘Mon the Seasiders!

Jimmy Kirkwood (Manager)

Full Name	Beith Juniors Football Club
Nickname(s)	The ‘Cabes or The Mighty
Founded	1938
Ground	Bellsdale Park, Beith
Capacity	2,200
President	Gordon Irving
Manager	Michael Dunlop
Captain	Ross Davidson
2024-25	WOSFL Premier Division, 11th from 16

⚽️️ THOMAS COLLINS ⚽️

“BoJo” as he’s affectionately known round Bellsdale, has re-joined his old club on a short-term loan from Lowland League side Clydebank following a long period out through injury.

The 29 year old began his career at Queens Park and joined Beith in the summer of 2015, scoring a penalty in the shoot-out win as they lifted the Scottish Junior Cup at Rugby Park. Some strong performances saw TC move up the leagues & he enjoyed spells at BSC Glasgow, East Fife & Stenhousemuir before he rejoined the WOSFL and Kilwinning Rangers. After two seasons, he headed to Holm Park & lifted the WOSFL Premier Division trophy in May.

⚽️️ SCOTT RUMSBY ⚽️

An excellent signing for the Cabes in the summer as they look to rebuild, 31 year old Scott has already made a strong impression in the WOSFL Premier at both Pollok & Gartcairn.

Began his career with Rangers before gaining further senior experience with Aberdeen, Stranraer, Peterhead, Cowdenbeath and Clyde, playing over 300 matches in the SPFL. His leadership abilities and know-how will be vital at Bellsdale under his former Gartcairn gaffer.

© Thanks to our club photographer Graeme McKenzie for his photos – fantastic, as always!

Beith

WON	WON	LOST	LOST	LOST
2-0	4-1	3-2	0-2	1-0
A. Winton Rovers (H)	Rutherglen (H)	Glenafton (A)	Auchinleck Talbot (H)	Troon (A)
Sat 13th September	Sat 6th September	Sat 23rd August	Sat 16th August	Sat 9th August
South Region Challenge Cup	WOSFL Premier	WOSFL Premier	WOSFL Premier	WOSFL Premier

Troon F.C.

LOST	WON	LOST	WON	WON
2-5	2-3	2-5	0-9	0-1
Auchinleck Talbot (H)	Drumchapel United (A)	Auchinleck Talbot (H)	Nithsdale Wanderers (A)	Cumnock (A)
Sat 13th September	Sat 6th September	Sat 23rd August	Sat 16th August	Wed 13th August
South Region Challenge Cup	WOSFL Premier	WOSFL Premier	South Challenge Cup	WOSFL Premier

If you can’t make it along to the game , you can keep up to date with all the latest info via the club’s social media channels:

Live updates from the official Troon F.C. Twitter feed (nope, still not calling it X yet)

Team news pre-match
Goal alerts
News flashes
Real time alerts

Make sure you follow our NEW feed!

Match news via the official Troon F.C. Facebook page

Team news pre-match
Half-time score & update
Full time results

All news on the club FIRST via the official Troon F.C. WhatsApp Supporter’s Group chat

Vote for your Man of the Match
Info on functions & events
Book your seat on away buses
Discuss the match with fellow Troon fans!

It was 2 wins out of 2 in the Premier Division for the Seasiders last season with two very impressive performances and no shortage of goals.

HOME MATCH

Saturday 5th October 2024

Match Centre

TROON FOOTBALL CLUB	WON	Portland Park
BEITH	4-1	WOSFL Premier

The first encounter of 2024-25 was a barnstorming affair.

Fraser Malcolm gave the visitors the perfect start with a 6th minute strike, before Leyton Dunlop restored parity only 3 minutes later with a well-worked team goal. Dean Fulton gave the swashbuckling Seasiders’ the lead with another free-flowing move just six minutes later and the same man threatened to extend that lead only a minute or two after that but Stott saved. Beith came back into the match after that without threatening Burgess’ goal, before Stevie Noble controversially saw red in the 29th minute for a second bookable offence. A half-time stramash in the tunnel between both teams really set the temperatures racing!

Beith started the better of the two teams once again, only to find themselves further behind thanks to Sam Jamieson’s 53rd minute goal before Callan Veitch rounded off the scoring in the 57th minute to set Troon on their way to an ultimately comfortable victory.

AWAY MATCH

Saturday 8th March 2025

Match Centre

BEITH	WON	New Tinto Park
TROON FOOTBALL CLUB	0-5	WOSFL Premier

The return match in March was to be another fantastic performance from the Seasiders at Bellsdale, the scene of a few excellent displays for Troon in recent seasons.

Following the shock resignation of Manager Chris Strain during the preceding week, Shaun Dillon was appointed interim Manager with little time to make his mark before the game. After an exciting start to the match, Leyton Dunlop put the visitors ahead after 14 minutes and goals from Kyle Gilroy and Stephen Bronsky saw Troon comfortable at half-time. Mark Morrison and another from Bronsky late on sparked bowling celebrations from the Troon players & secured maximum points

(before this week’s matches)

	REFEREE:
	Euan Birch
Assistant Referee 1:		Assistant Referee 2:
Howard Wilkin		Lewis Littlejohn

Referee Observer:

Not yet appointed

For travelling supporters, follow the Google Map below for directions to Bellsdale Park.

🚌 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗕𝗨𝗦 🚌

Our supporter’s bus is booked and ready for the trip to Beith on Saturday!

⏱	12pm	Departs Troon
⏱	12.40pm	Arrive at Bellsdale Park, Beith
⏱	2.30pm	Kick-off!!
⏱	5.30pm	Departs Beith Juniors Social Club

To confirm the bus, priced at £15 per seat, you 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗧 reserve your place. Please contact Richard on: 07989 475597 to reserve your seat 💺

🚍 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗕𝗨𝗦 🚏

To plan your journey from Troon to Beith, visit the “Journey Planner” section of Stagecoach’s website.

🔗 STAGECOACH.com

🚝 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗟 𝗕𝗬 𝗧𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡 🚉

For train times from Troon to Beith, or to book tickets, visit Scotrail’s website.

🔗 SCOTRAIL.co.uk

Tickets are available at the cash turnstiles at Bellsdale Park:

Adult:	£10
Concession:	£5

You can find out all about the match itself by visiting the match centre both before and after the game, with the team line-ups, scorers & bookings on the specific match page for the fixture.

To visit the match centre, CLICK HERE.