Saturday 17 Sep 2022 KO 2:00pm	Loch Park, New Cumnock
PDM Buildbase WOSFL Premier League	Match 05
Glenafton Athletic 0 (0)
Troon 1 (1)	Wilson

Manager Ryan Stevenson posed with match ball sponsor Lynne Gemmell and her son Glenafton striker Dylan O’Kane – many thanks to Lynne for her support.

Prior to kick-off a minute’s silence was observed in respect for the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.

Troon kicked off and passed up a great chance to take the lead in the opening minute after Ben Black curled a low shot from 18 yards and keeper David Markey got down low to push the ball to the side and although it fell kindly for the incoming Josh Black he fired his shot from inside the six yard straight into the arms of the grounded goalie.

The visitors continued to press and earned the first of a host of free-kicks that would pepper the first half. J Black floated the ball into a crowded box which was headed back out by Craig Pettigrew and clipped back in by Sam McCloskey only for Ewan McLevy to head wide under pressure from Michael McMullin. Soon after J. Black from the edge of the box curled another free-kick over the wall only for Markey to block with both hands and then gather the loose ball.

Some respite from Troon pressure on 10 minutes after Jordan Ross cut out Mark Morrison’s cross from deep on the right and played the ball upfield where it was headed on by Leon Murphy and gathered by Dylan O’Kane to skip past Jack Sherrie and drive forward before drilling a low shot from 28 yards out that drifted wide of the post.

Troon then defended a Glens free kick and quickly countered with a lightning break down the right by B. Black only for Ross to block his cross at the expense of a corner kick that was met at the back post by J. Black sending a free header well wide of the post.

As the Glens pressed the move broke down after Dale Moore, just inside the Troon half, robbed Ross of the ball which fell for Kyle Gilroy who burst through the middle with only Craig Pettigrew in his path and as he reached the ‘D’. From here he slipped the ball wide to Moore on the right to crack a shot that Markey stopped with strong hands and Pettigrew mopped up the loose ball.

Having survived 15 minutes of intense Troon pressure the Glens then enjoyed a brief spell of possession in the opposition half, however without fashioning a shot at goal. Ryan Nisbet then broke down the right only for his cross from the corner to be clasped cleanly by keeper Dale Burgess at the near post. Murphy’s run down the same wing ended with a trip from Sherrie and Paul Paton curled a cute free kick to the far side of the six-yard box where Ollie Rowe stooped to sending a powerful header flying just over the bar.

The visitors then won a free kick just inside the Glens half and McCloskey looked set to launch a high ball into the box but instead played a long pass to Moore on the edge of the right-hand side of the box. From here he cut inside to pick out B Black on the edge of the ‘D’ who quickly threaded a pass to Stephen Wilson on the left-hand side of the box to clip a high cross to the near post where Gilroy, Ross and Markey all challenged for the ball, with the keeper punching it higher still into the air and as it dropped B Black headed it over the bar before he tumbled to the ground under pressure from Paton and Ross. Deemed dangerous play by the referee who quickly pointed to the spot and Stephen Wilson duly dispatched the ball past Markey into the top right corner of the goal to put Troon in the lead on 20 minutes.

Glens made a change with Adam Caldwell coming on for Jordan Ross.

The visitors were soon back on the front foot and both McMullin and Rowe had to clear with defensive headers before matters settled down with play going back and forth at a pace without keepers being tested.

On the half hour mark Moore tried to pick out B Black at the near post only for Pettigrew to intercept the pass and McMullin pick up the loose ball before launching it upfield for O’Kane to give chase with Sherrie at his side. As he reached the ‘D’, Burgess had already raced from his line to the edge of the box and as the young striker lobbed the ball over the keeper’s head, they both collided falling to the ground as the ball bounced onward inches wide of the empty gaping net. Not deemed dangerous play!

Play continued to rage back and forth with chances at either end thin on the ground. Five minutes from the break Caldwell and O’Kane combined well down the right before playing it inside to Kemp who switched it wide to McMullin on the left who then played a slick one-two with Murphy before driving to the edge of the box to fire a blistering shot that curled wide of the junction of post and bar.

At the other end Troon switched play from right to left for J. Black to float the ball into the box where Gilroy did well to gather and shake off defenders to drill a low shot that Markey stopped with an outstretched leg before Pettigrew cleared the loose ball.

HT Glens 0 Troon 1

Troon made a change at half-time with Sam Jamieson coming on

The hosts made a lively start to the new half. Markey launched a long ball downfield for O’Kane to chase down forcing McCloskey to try and head the ball back to his keeper but Sherrie had to intervene to save the corner kick and square to the keeper, who just managed to kick it clear from his post as the Glens striker closed in.

Soon after, the home side won a free kick on the outskirts of the box but the Troon wall did its job. Back came Glens through Caldwell breaking wide on the right to pick out O’Kane in the box only for Sherrie to cut out the pass before O’Kane nicked the ball back to run along the bye-line before his cut-back for Caldwell was blocked by Wilson at expense of a corner. Murphy floated the kick to the far corner of the six-yard box where Rowe’s downward header bounced inches wide of the post.

The visitors began to find their way again and played raged from end to end at quite a pace. Moore’s free kick into the box was headed clear by Kemp and quickly returned to the back-post by Jamieson only for Sherrie to head wide from close range.

Back came Glens and Caldwell picked out Kemp in the centre-circle who clipped a great ball down the right for Murphy to chase only for the back-tracking Sherrie to win the ball with a well-timed tackle to set up a counter-attack with a fine ball upfield for Moore who held off three defenders before slipping the ball to Gilroy who in turn squared to Jamieson to crack a low shot only for Markey to pull off a great block.

On the hour mark Troon replace Josh Black with Dean Fulton.

Pettigrew gathered the ball on the left-hand side of the Glens box and rolled it to Paton who switched played to Caldwell on the right who then cut inside to break forward leaving McCloskey in his wake before pinging the ball forward to Murphy and as Sherrie closed in, he cutely back-heeled the ball to Paton overlapping down the wing who then squared it to Kemp to crack a shot from 22 yards that was blocked.

On 62 minutes Michael McMullin pulled up with an injury and was replaced with James Martin.

Soon after, Jamie McKernon snapped up the ball on the centre and threaded a perfectly weighted forward diagonal pass for Kemp to collect who held off the challenge from Moore before blasting another shot from 22 yards that dipped over the bar.  

Troon responded with a free kick whipped into the heart of the six yard box which saw McLeavy rise high only for his header to flash well over the bar.

Back came Glens through McKernon robbing Moore of the ball with a crunching tackle and Kemp snapped up the loose ball before returning it to Jambo who drilled a low angled shot from 20 yards only for Burgess at full stretch to stop the ball with one hand before grabbing it with both.

At the other end Moore’s corner was met by Sherrie deep in the six-yard box but his glancing header was blocked by Pettigrew only for Troon to recover the ball and win a free kick within the ‘D’ but McCloskey’s effort was blasted into the wall and the chance was gone.

 With 10 minutes remaining Troon brought on Raymond Montgomerie for Jamie Gallacher.

A quick Troon break down the right ended with Fulton blasting his shot high over the bar.

Glens responded through Rowe launching a long high ball from wide on the right of the half way line to Nisbet wide on the left on the outskirts of the box, where he trapped the ball brilliantly before breaking into box with Morrison clearly grabbing the front of his top and then lifting his arms as if to show there was no contact, after which Nisbet rolled the ball back to O’Kane to send a shot from 16 yards out screaming over the bar. Nisbet’s appeal for a penalty to the referee was summarily dismissed .

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McKernon and Murphy combined on the outskirts of the box to set up O’Kane only for McLeavy to clip his heels. Although McKernon’s free-kick from 25 yards beat the wall the ball fell firmly into the hands of Burgess.

Glens continued to press while Troon were content with the cautious approach.

On 88 minutes Paton played a ball down the right wing where Murphy headed it high towards the “D” and as two defenders under pressure from O’Kane got into a fankle the ball fell for Kemp to lash a shot from 22 yards that whizzed past Burgess and inches over the bar.

The home side continued to press and O’Kane had a couple of shots blocked in a busy Troon box. In added time, Paton clipped a great ball to Murphy in the ‘D’ who took a touch before lashing a low shot that Burgess finger-tipped inches wide of the post. The corner-kick was cleared and the final whistle blew soon after.

FT Glenafton 0 Troon 1

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1 David Markey 22. Ollie Rowe 4. Craig Pettigrew (capt.) 12. Jordan Ross (2. Adam Caldwell) 15. Ryan Nisbet 8. Paul Paton 6. Jamie McKernon 10. Calvin Kemp 35. Michael McMullin (15. James Martin) 11. Leon Murphy 18. Dylan O’Kane. Subs Not Used: 7. Sam McKee 9. Hugh Kerr 14. David Blyth 21. Connor Cullen

TROON
1. Dale Burgess (capt.) 2. Ewan McLevy 3. Sam McCloskey 6. Jack Sherrie 7. Ben Black 9. Kyle Gilroy 10. Stephen Wilson 11. Dale Moore 16. Mark Morrison 17. Josh Black 19. Jamie Gallagher Subs. 5. Tommy Maitland 8. Raymond Montgomerie 12. Logan Smith 14. Dean Fulton 18. Sam Jamieson 20. Jack Marks 21. Marc Fisher (GK)

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic v Troon