Troon Football Club

Recap

⚽️ Kilwinning Rangers versus Troon F.C. ⚽️
Friday 30th January 2026
WOSFL Premier Division
Buffs Park, Kilwinning
Kick-off 7.45pm

LOVERING DOUBLE POWERS SEASIDERS TO COMPOSED WIN AT BUFFS PARK

Troon continued their impressive march at the top of the WOSFL Premier Division with a thoroughly professional 3-0 victory away to Kilwinning Rangers, recording their 20th win from 25 competitive matches this season and underlining their title credentials on a cold January night.

Manager Jimmy Kirkwood made two changes to the side that edged a seven-goal thriller against Shotts Bon Accord the previous week. Long-serving defender Jack Sherrie returned at left-back following his eye-catching goalscoring cameo, while Dean Fulton was rewarded with a start after troubling the Shotts defence from the bench. The returning Kyle Faulds came into midfield to replace the injured Nathan Baird.

Kilwinning Rangers Manager Kevin Kelly made a solitary alteration to the team that defeated Renfrew, with Kyle Chrystal drafted into central defence. Mark Lamont returned to the matchday squad among the substitutes.

After a bizarre delay before kick-off, where both teams waited on the pitch on referee Regan Wallace and his match officials coming out, the match kicked-off four minutes late and quickly settled into a cagey rhythm, with both sides probing without creating a flurry of chances. Troon gradually began to assert themselves, enjoying a little more possession and territory, while Kilwinning looked to contain, stay compact and strike on the break.

The breakthrough arrived on 31 minutes and it was well worth the wait. The explosive Dean Fulton burst down the right flank and delivered a dangerous ball across the face of goal, where Lewis Lovering slid in at the back post to bundle the ball over the line and give the Seasiders a deserved lead.

Kilwinning attempted to respond before the interval, but Troon’s defensive shape held firm, with the visitors comfortably seeing out the half.

HALF-TIME: KILWINNING RANGERS 0-1 TROON F.C.

The second half saw Kirkwood make an early change which erred on the side of caution, introducing Luke Watt at right-back to replace the already-booked Lewis Allan, with referee Wallace adopting a strict approach throughout.

Kilwinning thought they had levelled on 68 minutes when substitute Bryan Boylan raced clear and finished coolly, only for the assistant referee’s flag to deny the home side and spare Troon any punishment for a rare defensive lapse.

A more concerning moment followed shortly after, as Jack Sherrie went down in visible pain chasing a ball down the wing, suffering what appeared to be a serious knee injury. Sam Jamieson was introduced as Troon reshuffled, and the Seasiders showed real character to regain their composure.

Any lingering doubt was removed on 80 minutes. A partial clearance from the Kilwinning defence fell invitingly to Dario Viviani on the edge of the box, and the midfielder took a neat touch before drilling a low shot beyond Glen Cameron to double Troon’s advantage.

Five minutes later, Troon put the result beyond doubt with a move of real quality. Viviani again provided the spark, threading a perfectly weighted pass through the Buffs back line for Lovering, who curved his run superbly before finishing calmly past the goalkeeper to claim his second of the night.

Frustration boiled over for Kilwinning moments later, with Manager Kevin Kelly dismissed from the technical area after receiving a second yellow card for dissent following appeals for offside.

Troon comfortably closed out the remaining minutes, making late changes to protect legs and preserve energy as they extended their lead at the summit of the table to an impressive 11 points.

FULL-TIME: KILWINNING RANGERS 0-3 TROON F.C.

It was a measured, mature display from the Seasiders, who showed once again that they possess the patience and quality to win games in different ways. A tight contest in the first half was ultimately settled by Troon’s quality and depth after the break.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Two-goal Lewis Lovering, as voted for in our Supporter’s WhatsApp group chat after full-time.

by Graeme McKenzie

To read the match preview, follow the link:
https://troonfootballclub.co.uk/kilwinning-300126-preview/

⚽️ Arthurlie versus Troon F.C. ⚽️
Saturday 7th February 2026
WOSFL Premier Division
Dunterlie Park, Barrhead
Kick-off 1.30pm