TROON’S hopes of securing a fourth-placed finish were shattered on Saturday.

TROON’S hopes of securing a fourth-placed finish were shattered on Saturday.

The Seasiders crashed to defeat against a feisty Shotts side who are battling to stay up.

It was only their second home league defeat of the season following the reverse at champions Auchinleck Talbot’s hands earlier this year. But it must be said the visiting side deserved their victory which boosts their hopes of beating the drop.

The tone was set in only two minutes when Andy Cross went on a darting run down the flank and fired in a cross, for which there were no takers. Three minutes later he slipped a pass to Garry McStay, who was adjudged offside.

Then in 21 minutes Shotts had claims for a penalty turned down when Tony Traynor went down under pressure from home skipper Dean Keenan but the referee ruled the former Ayr United man had gone for the ball.

Troon came so close to breaking the deadlock in 26 minutes when an Adam Forsyth header crashed off the crossbar. The same player was unlucky again five minutes from half-time when he latched onto the ball inside the penalty area and beat home keeper Gary Whyte only to see his shot crash off the crossbar.

Then a minute from half-time the visitors were rightly awarded a penalty-kick when Gavin Collins upended Traynor inside the box, with the Troon defender booked for his actions. When the dust settled McStay stepped up to beat Darren Johnson from the spot.

Midway through the second half Troon should have levelled when Dale Moore was through on goal with the keeper to beat but shot straight at him and the opportunity was lost. Cross spurned an opportunity for Shotts in 65 minutes and five minutes later home goalie Johnson made a fine block to foil Ross Brash. In 75 minutes home defender Neil McGowan was substituted after a foul which earned him a booking to be replaced by Michael McCann.. And Cross sent the resultant free-kick from 25 yards just over the bar.

Five minutes later recent signing Jordan Muir had a shot from 12 yards well saved by the visiting goalie.

Troon have just one league match remaining – a trip to Blair Park to face Hurlford United – with that game called off last Wednesday owing to a waterlogged pitch.

TROON: Johnson; Gareth Armstrong, McGowan, Keenan, Collins, Chatham, Murphy, Muir, Wilson, Gillies, Forsyth, Moore. Subs: Reilly, Walker, Muir, Wylie. McCann.

SHOTTS BON ACCORD: Gary Whyte; Campbell, McDowall, Donnelly, Walker, MacKay, McCrum, Brash, Traynor, McStay. Cross. Subs: Marriott, Jordan White, McDowall, McMenamin.