BOTH Troon Ladies 1s and 2s were away to face GHK Ladies at the weekend. Troon Ladies 1s went down fighting in a 5-2 loss to GHK Ladies 2s, but Troon Ladies 2s, in contrast secured a strong 3-0 win over GHK Ladies 4s.

Saturday saw Troon Ladies 1s travel away to face GHK Ladies 2s, with the match played in an unrelenting downpour. GHK were a fierce side with nothing to lose - from passback they played with speed and skill, being rewarded with an early goal in the 2nd minute. Troon pushed back with a structured play on the right wing, with the ball played from the backline across the GHK keeper to allow Chloe McKinnon to tap the ball in on the back post, levelling the score.

The cold wet weather tolled on Troon who became prone to poorly considered passes, in contrast GHK maintained strong control of the ball with some excellent stick skills. By half-time GHK Ladies 2s had pulled ahead again with two more goals.

Troon continued to fight, and got a result in the opening quarter of the second half when a break up the field enabled Olivia Stark to shoot and score. Despite a number of well managed breaks that reached the GHK circle, they were not to score any more goals. In contrast, GHK secured their lead with two more goals each from a confused melee in front of goal after an initial strike had been deadened. The whistle blew on a 5-2 loss for Troon Ladies 1s leaving them seventh in Division 1 with nine games played.

Troon Ladies 2s then faced GHK Ladies 4s on a cold but thankfully dry Sunday. The pace of the game was with Troon from the start, pushing hard and developing plays up both sides they sought advantage in the GHK circle. This was soon to come with a short corner that was successfully converted by a strong strike by Sophie Russell putting Troon ahead. The start of the second half saw a motivated GHK putting the pressure on Troon.

GHK were rewarded by a series of short corners which Troon in turn successfully defended, showing their ability to deflect the pressure GHK was putting them under. In turn Troon pushed back and, with only 15 minutes left, a lucky Troon touch and an equally unlucky GHK deflection led to Troon’s second goal. There was to be no respite for GHK however, as in the dying minutes Leigh Timothy converted another short corner with a confident strike that buried the ball in the back of the GHK net. This excellent 3-0 win for Troon Ladies 2s, their third in a row, shows this young squad has started to gel into a serious team to be contended with. Their accumulated points has also elevated them to seventh in Division 3, leaving them in the same position as their contemporaries in Troon Ladies 1s with all still to play for.

Troon are now on their mid-season break, with both Ladies teams returning to action in the New Year, on Saturday, January 19. when Ladies 1s face Glasgow Accies Ladies 2s and Ladies 2s play Stepps Ladies 2s.