After two weeks away on Cup duty, it’s back to League business as we welcome Benburb down to Portland Park for our 8th GreenVersity WOSFL Premier Division match of the season.
⚽️ Troon F.C. versus Benburb ⚽️
Saturday 28th September 2024
GreenVersity WOSFL Premier Division
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 2pm
We’re seven league matches into the new season already, and it’s a respectable four wins and three defeats to our record so far. Given our slow start to the campaigns in the last two seasons, it represents an improvement with us sitting in 6th position in the league. Encouraging, yes, but still plenty more to do.
Last weekend’s Scottish Junior Cup win against Dufftown was our club’s record away victory (from the records we have, anyway) which is of great credit to the players & the management. The match was approached with great professionalism & it was great to see so many supporters making a mammoth trip up, the players repaid that in spades & it was a joy to watch. However, all that goes for nothing if it isn’t followed up on, it can’t be a flash in the pan.
Benburb have had a few changes since we last saw them. Our last encounter in February turned out to be Paul Lovering’s last match in charge after a hugely successful 8 year spell & that is always going to cause a few bumps in the road afterwards. Paul’s former Assistant Manager Martin Campbell succeeded him in the hot seat, but he found “Lovers” a hard act to follow and he departed New Tinto Park in mid-August following a slow start to the season. Brothers David & Robbie Winters were appointed as Co-Managers on the 22nd August & a new era begins.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Saturday’s match…
The only major injury problem currently is Jack Sherrie, who is missing with an ankle injury sustained in our friendly match with Lugar Boswell Thistle in late August. Thankfully, it’s not as bad as the issue which kept him out of action last season, but he’ll still be missing for a few weeks. Dale Moore misses out after being placed up for transfer at his own request.
Ben Black & Scott McLean both featured from the bench again last Saturday, and that puts them right into contention for the squad again on Saturday.
Big weekend for us this, an important match against a side we haven’t enjoyed the best of records against of late. It’s that time of year where you’re in the Cup one week & the League next week so it’s difficult to get any kind of momentum or consistency going, but that’s something we are trying to manage better this season than we have in the last few years. Coming from two weekends of Cup competition, it’s important we re-focus on our bread & butter of the league campaign.
Be a different Benburb to the one we’ve faced in recent years, the team was the very embodiment of Paul Lovering so they’ll be having to learn a different method without him now. Be a different approach now the Winters brothers are in charge, but given the level they have played at I’m sure they’ll bring plenty to the table. Richard saw a lot of Darvel under Davie Winters at the end of last season & he was impressed by him, so they’ll be an opponent to be respected. We need to be at our best right from the off.
A massive thanks to all of the supporters who made the long trip up to Dufftown last weekend, it was a tremendous boost to the coaches & players alike to see a crowd of familiar faces cheering us on. We’ve got a great, dedicated bunch behind us & it’s great to see. Long may it continue.
Jimmy Kirkwood (Manager)
| Full Name | Benburb Football Club |
| Nickname(s) | The Bens or The Chooky Hens |
| Founded | 1885 |
| Ground | New Tinto Park, Govan |
| Capacity | 1,000 |
| Club President | Frank Lovering |
| Co-Managers | David Winters & Robbie Winters |
| Captain | Ryan McCrone |
| 2023-24 | WOSFL Premier Division, 11th from 16 |
⚽️️ DECLAN McDONALD ⚽️
An old-fashioned centre-forward, Declan certainly needs no introduction to the Troon defence after his two-goals stole the show in our encounter in February.
The 23 year old left New Tinto to join Darvel upon the expiry of his contract in the summer, but he quickly re-joined the Bens in late August. The new management team will be hoping he is crucial to their rebuild.
⚽️️ HAMISH McKINLAY ⚽️
A very familiar face to Troon, Hamish joined the Bens in the summer from Johnstone Burgh. He joined the Burgh from Clydebank the previous summer, where he didn’t really cement his place in the starting line-up & that is exactly what he is doing at New Tinto Park.
Strong, quick & with a real eye for goal, Hamish could be one to watch this season with the right service.
© Thanks to our club photographer Graeme McKenzie for his photos
Troon F.C.
| WON | WON |