New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup Second Round

TROON 6

MAYBOLE 0

By Richard Henderson

TROON ran out comfortable winners in this West of Scotland Cup Second Round tie encounter.

It was a match full of high quality goals with victory taking the Seasiders into the last 16.

It looked far from simple in the opening stages, as it was the visitors from the Ayrshire District League who took a grip of the game from kick-off when new signing Jai Holland burst through the defensive line and squared for the dangerous looking Chris Campbell to blaze over from 12 yards. Campbell was next to threaten when he forced a smart save from Lyle Avci and then Lucas Elliott was denied by a late block by Strachan.

Their early profligacy was to prove costly for the ‘Bole however, as a corner forced by Dean Fulton was converted by Ross Barbour at the second attempt, after Martin McCaulay saved his original effort. Evan Maley was running the show for Troon and he shot narrowly wide in 21 minutes, but just three minutes later he provided the cutting edge as he drove into the box and squared for Dean Fulton to tap home into an unguarded net.

Maley was the architect again a few minutes later when he broke the defensive line for Scott Chatham to fire home past the dazed McCaulay. The fourth came in 29 minutes as Maley again collected a clever free-kick from Dean Keenan to feed Mark Curragh to stoke home his ninth goal of the season. The visitors were a little shell-shocked at Troon’s ruthlessness, but Holland was to force one more opportunity on the stroke of half-time which Strachan was on hand to clear.

The home side provided no respite for their visitors after the interval, and attacked straight from the off to increase their lead. Ross McCrea was unlucky with a shot, before Mark Curragh got his second of the match and Troon’s fifth to completely kill the contest just six minutes after the restart.

On-loan Morton man Scott Miller was introduced shortly after and he proved a bright spark in attack as Troon kept Maybole on their heels, but his shot in 57 minutes was well blocked by Peacock before McCaulay smothered the rebound. Miller was then denied by Baird a moment later as he drove into the box before the young defender cleared.

Chris Allan was introduced by visiting manager Carlo Walker at half-time and he came very close for ’Bole on the hour when he ghosted into space to fire in a shot which Lyle Avci did very well to block. Troon finally got the sixth goal on 68 minutes, after a clever move from Maley won a corner and Scott Chatham’s delivery expertly found David Syme at the back who bulleted a header home from six yards for his second in two games.

An excellent performance from Troon against a Maybole side full of youth and promise, but ultimately too inexperienced to handle an on-form Troon side high of confidence.

TROON: Avci; Barbour (Clark 76) Thorburn, Keenan, Syme, Strachan, McCrea, Chatham, Fulton, Maley, Curragh (Miller 55). Subs not used: Collins, McInnes

MAYBOLE: McCaulay; Baird, Smith, McMillan, Peacock, Bell, Paterson (McDade 78) Elliott (Bloy 46) Holland (Allan 46) Gardiner, Campbell.

Subs not used: Connor, MacLeod.