Friendly Match

TROON 4

CRAIGMARK BURNTONIANS 1

by Frank Cassidy

TROON got off to the perfect start in Saturday's hastily arranged friendly with a first-minute goal.

An overlapping run by Ross Barbour ended with a pinpoint cross which Scott Chatham headed home.

That gave an early indication that the home side were taking the match seriously and it soon became clear that their visitors had similar thoughts.

The next chance fell to Troon, though, with a Ross McCrea shot bringing out a good save from goalkeeper Mark Higgins.

He was to be the busiest man over the 90 minutes, producing one save after another to thwart Troon.

'Mark had their first attempt on goal in eight minutes when Bryce Reid shot wide before a Barbour long-ball evaded everyone at the other end.

Kieran Nisbet was unlucky in what was becoming an entertaining match, when he tried to find the bottom corner from a tight angle.

Then a Barbour free-kick from distance was palmed on to the post by Higgins.

Illustrating both teams' commitment, the referee had to step in and calm everyone down after an incident involving Reid and Colin Spence led to a melee.

An injury to Stephen McKay forced Craigmark to reshuffle their pack with Mark Dyer coming on. A free-kick was launched into the box by Lewis Kirkwood but Troon keeper Ally Semple intercepted it with a good catch.

His opposite number then had another superb save from a half-volley delivered from outside the box by Dale Moore.

Troon were beginning to dominate and they doubled the lead in 36 minutes with a powerful header from Barbour, following a Dean Keenan corner.

Within minutes it was three when Spence was put through by Moore and made no mistake.

In the last action of the first half, Reid won the ball in midfield and set up Nisbet, whose shot was well saved.

John Redmond's side came into the match after the interval with a Mitchell Ewing shot being cleared off the line.

Ryan McKay then found himself with ample space and time to send Ewing clear but the pass was inches too far in front of his team-mate.

Ewing scored the goal that Craigmark richly deserved with a good finish in 75 minutes from an Andrew Mair cross which he brought down well.

The leeway should have been reduced even further when Ewing timed his run perfectly to stay onside and play a decent pass but Reid hurried his shot.

Higgins had performed heroics in the Craigmark goal but he could do nothing when Troon mounted a breakaway attack in the closing stages.

Sub Jordan Muir played the ball to Moore who netted without breaking stride.

Craigmark gaffer Redmond said the match had provided a good challenge for his young side, made more daunting by having some players out injured.

Speaking after the match, he said: "We had a few missing today, which is crucial when you don't have a big squad.

"Then we got caught out by the early goal but, in the second half, we played quite well although it was a shame we conceded in injury time.

"It was good for the team to come here as Troon have a good set-up and I told the players before the game that this is the level they need to get to.

"We knew that Troon would make us work both on the ball and off the ball, so it was a good exercise to take into the league and cup matches coming up."

The Station Park side have a tricky trip to Irvine Meadow on Saturday in the first round of the Ayrshire Weekly Press Cup.

They also have a home tie against Kilsyth Rangers in the West of Scotland Cup to look forward to, on a date to be arranged.

Ironically, if they beat Kilsyth and Troon defeat Gartcairn, it sets up a quarter-final tie between the clubs at Dalmellington.

Redmond added: "We are a young side, but going in the right direction and I am pleased the way things are going.

"As well as the two cup ties, we have five league matches left and there is much to look forward to."

TROON: Semple; Barbour, Brown (Phillips 75), Keenan, Collins (Simpson 45); Chatham (Muir 45), Nisbet (Maley 45); Spence, Curragh, McCrea, Moore.

Unused sub: Forsyth

CRAIGMARK - Higgins; McCubbin, McKay (Dyer 30), Barrett, Kirkwood, Dawson, McLelland (Mair 65); McKay, Nisbet (Ewing 60), Reid, Lawrie.

Unused sub: Holland.