Troon Football Club

Recap

⚽️ Troon F.C. versus Clydebank ⚽️
Saturday 31st July 2021
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier Division
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 2pm

 

MATCH REPORT by Richard Henderson

Clydebank were the winners in an entertaining game for the neutrals at Portland Park, but Troon will be kicking themselves after spurning a great opportunity to take points off another of the likely contenders.

Troon got off to a characteristically slow start & invited Clydebank pressure early on, but Darren Miller & Tommy Maitland were combining well as ever to keep their attack at bay. Sam Jamieson & Josh Black were looking a deadly combination for Troon early on & their neat interplay led to Josh being free on the left, but Kevin Green cut out the wicked cross ball in front of Dean Fulton. Media darling Nicky Little was first to threaten Marc Fisher’s goal with 20 minutes on the clock, latching on to Hamish McKinlay’s beautiful through ball to beat the offside trap, but Maitland was across well to block & Fisher gathered. Joe Slattery was next up for Bankies as they started to turn the screw, firing in a 30 yard free-kick which Fisher did well to parry over the crossbar to safety. Troon created a half-chance from a set-piece after a foul on Stevie Wilson, Josh Black swinging in a dangerous ball which saw Maitland’s header beat Jamie Donnelly but headed away by Matt McLean on the line. But their best effort of the first-half came thanks to a good move by Jamieson & Jaime Gallagher which saw Gal gallop down the left & cross for Josh to strike over Donnelly’s crossbar. Little, McKinlay & Lee Gallacher all had chances to take the lead, before the breakthrough finally came on the 37th minute, and it was another set-play to forget for the Seasiders. Gallacher’s ball in was well defended after Green headed goalwards, but as the ball was cleared it was put back in the mix under little pressure & Slattery timed his run well to nod home. Troon were nearly the architects of their own downfall just before the interval, with Fisher & Gallagher playing themselves into trouble, but fortunately Maitland blocked to keep the score at 0-1, a lead the Bankies deserved at half-time.

HALF-TIME: TROON F.C. 0-1 CLYDEBANK

Straight from kick-off, McKinlay threatened with a clever run but saw his tame effort smothered by a grateful Fisher. Given the attacking talent on the park, it was the unlikely Darren Miller who threatened the visitors goal next, being the man on the spot when Wilson slipped a ball into the 6 yard box. Donnelly came out to block, before Jamieson’s ball back in was cleared by Frazer Johnstone. Little was next to threaten Fisher’s goal on the hour mark, but Ewan McLevy was covering and his slide tackle was perfectly timed to block & clear to safety. Troon were having a much better second half than first, and Sam McCloskey’s free-kick was nearly the equaliser when Dean Fulton was millimetres away from hooking it in at the back-post. Troon made a triple change in the 68th minute to put Clydebank under pressure, with Ben Black, Ryan Nisbet and Alan Frizzell replacing Dean Fulton, Josh Black & Jaime Gallagher and the gaffer’s gamble nearly paid off straight away when Frizz whipped in a beautiful cross to the back-post & his fellow sub Ben was close to heading home from just a few yards out with Donnelly stranded. Troon were screaming for a penalty in the dying moments when Wilson tried to get on the end of a Montgomerie cross only to be wiped out off the ball by Donnelly, but Gary Train waved away all claims from a home team frustrated by the ref.

A day of “what if’s” for the home side, and a game of two halves. Clydebank absolutely deserved their lead at the break (and possibly more) but Troon’s improvement just came too late to make an impact on the scoreline, to the frustration of the management team at full-time. Cumbernauld at home on Tuesday in the third home game in succession.

Referee: Gary Train
Assistant Referee One: James Hosie
Assistant Referee Two: Howard Wilkin

 

To read the match preview, follow the link: http://troonfootballclub.co.uk/clydebank-310721-match-preview/

 

Match photographs, courtesy of the club’s official photographer JP!

 

⚽️ Troon F.C. versus Cumbernauld United ⚽️
Wednesday 4th August 2021
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier Division
Portland Park, Troon
Kick-off 7.30pm