McBookie Super League Premier Division

KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY 3

TROON 1

TROON were left frustrated in Cumbernauld after all their considerable efforts proved fruitless in a bruising encounter league leaders against Rob Roy.

It was the relegation-threatened side who came out of the traps the stronger, with Scott Chatham forcing home keeper McKinven into an early save from a dangerous Dean Keenan corner.

Colin Spence and Dale Moore were next up to threaten, Spence shooting narrowly wide and a Moore drive being tipped over the bar in a busy opening 20 minutes.

Rabs were awoken by the visitors' bright start in the 23 minutes when Ally Semple made a smart save from Willie Sawyers at a corner, before making a diving save from a Chris Duff free-kick.

It was no surprise when Troon took the lead their play merited in 27 minutes when a lovely Gareth Armstrong run from left-back saw a pin-point cross headed home by Scott Chatham.

Troon took heart and looked to get a grip on the game just a minute later with a near identical move- this time Spence crossing for Chatham to head narrowly wide. Rob Roy found themselves back in the game against the run of play when Sawyers was brought down by a combination of Keenan and Ure. Defender Kevin Green stepped up and saw his penalty kick saved well by Semple, only for Kevin Watt to steal in first and tap home into the corner past a recovering Semple.

As Troon had started the first half the stronger, Rob Roy came out hungry in the second half, but Martin Ure had he first chance of the half, striking over the bar from distance before a good move from the dangerou Duff saw Sawyers again threaten Semple's goal.

With Troon scrapping for their lives and Rob Roy seeking to take advantage of Talbot and Glenafton sitting idle in the league to stretch their lead at the top, both sides were working their socks off for the result and largely cancelled each other out for a spell, before a decisive few minutes swung the match.

In 69 minutes Willie Sawyers again drove into the box only to be felled by a sliding Gavin Collins to see the referee point to the spot. This time Watt sent Semple the wrong way as the Rabs wentahead. The contest was finished two minutes later as, after a smart Semple save from a Luke Whelan shot from distance led to a corner, a reputed elbow saw an amazing THIRD penalty awarded, wit Ure dismissed under claims from Troon of mistaken identity. Watt completed his hat-trick with a well taken penalty.

A very encouraging and spirited display, but ultimately a frustrating one as they run out of games to resurrect their season.

TROON: Semple; Ure, Armstrong, Keenan, Collins (Maley 80; Chatham, Nisbet (Barbour 33); Spence, Forsyth (Curragh 80); McCrea, Moore. Subs not used: Simpson, Fraser.