Glenafton Athletic hosted the Alan Cairns Testimonial to mark his 10 seasons with the club effectively over the period 2013/14 – 2022/23. Alan suffered a serious injury at the start of Season 2022/23 and joined Ardrossan Winton Rovers in Season 2023/24 and is now at the start of the third season with the club.

Alan & his daughter and the Guard of Honour formed by both teams

Alan Cairns Select Team

Craig McEwan (manager), Calum McEwan, Cammy Marlow, Ryan McChesney (spectator), David Gray, Kyle McAusland, Brian McGarrity, Chris Meikle, Ally Park, Jamie McGeoghan, Dale Moore, Alan Cairns, Raymond Montgomerie, Dean Hawkshaw, Conor Lynass, Leon Murphy, Findlay Frye, Dan Orsi (spectator), Craig Potter (coach), Darren Frye, Dave Gray, ?, Zack Simpson, Aaron Miller. Mick McCann (spectator, out of shot)

• 2016/17 Treble Team : Craig McEwan (manager), Craig Potter (assistant manager), Craig Menzies (captain), Brian McGarrity, Alan Cairns, Kyle McAusland, Ryan McChesney, Dan Orsi, Cameron Marlow, Ally Park, David Gray, Chris Meikle, Conor Lynass.
• Other former Glens players: Findlay Frye, Jamie McGeoghan, Dale Moore, Leon Murphy, Dean Hawkshaw

Lee Duncanson, Alan Muir (coach) , Blair Anderson, Chris Erskine, Jared Willet, Cammy Ross, Hugh Kerr, Ross Lindsay, David Craig, Alan Cairns, David Markey, Calum Wilson, James Hart, Ryan McCubbin, Evan Maley, Tommy McKenna, Paul Paton (manager), Calum McFadyen, Lewis Currie.

Glens kicked off on a sun-drenched Loch Park, fairly typical for New Cumnock – plus nae midgies!

Sadly on 4 minutes Conor Lynass suffered a shoulder injury. Ally Park (just retired from Maybole) switched to his position while substitute Jamie McGeoghan came on to fill the right back slot.

Dale Moore (Irvine Meadow) broke into the left-hand side of the box only for his cross into the goal mouth to be deflected wide by Blair Anderson for corner. David Gray floated the ball into the goalmouth which was hooked away by Anderson.

The visitors continued to press with Findlay Frye (Ardrossan Winton Rovers) burst into the right-hand side of the box to square for the inrushing Leon Murphy (Johnstone Burgh) only for his shot to deflect off Anderson before Murphy had a second bite at the cherry and although he managed to hook the ball with the outside of his left boot sending the ball wide of the target.

Soon after a free-kick was won a few yards short of the box and dead-ball specialist David Gray attempted to curl the ball over the three-man wall and into the arms of keeper David Markey, claiming it had struck one of the leaping players, Jared Willet & David Craig, on the arm, but the referee was not convinced! 

Glens countered with Chris Erskine picking up the ball in the centre circle before breaking down the right and into the corner of the box only to meet a three-man wall of Darren Frye, Craig Menzies (Johnstone Burgh) and Alan Cairns (Ardrossan Winton Rovers) forcing him to clip ball down the wing for Lee Duncanson to lot a high ball into the six-yard batch which was cleanly clutched by keeper Brian McGarrity.

Back came Glens through Michael Mullen holding off Gray on the outskirts of the bbox and then gave Park and Kyle McAusland the slip inside the box before clipping the ball to Shuggy Kerr to beat the offside trap before drilling a low shot from 8 yards only for McGarrity on the six-yard line to stick out a foot and send the ball sailing over the bar.

Ross Lindsay floated the corner high into the box where Kerr head and shoulders abin them a’ bulleted a downward header the bouncing up from the six-yard line and controlled on the chest of Menzies who then combined with McGeoghan to clear the ball of the box.

A welcomed water break on 24 minutes.

McGeoghan and Murphy combined down the right and progress to the edge of the Glens box only for Blair Anderson to intervene and played a one-two with Calum Wilson then slipped the ball to Chris Erskine to push forward into The Select’s half before releasing the overlapping Anderson down the right to clip the ball into the box where Kerr with his back to the goal trapped the ball and turn only for McGarrity to gather.

At the other end Findlay Fry drilled a low ball from the left-hand corner of the box for Dale Moore only for his shot to be blocked by Jared Willet sending the ball high into the air and gathered by keeper David Markey.

Back came Glens and Michael Mullen, deep on the left and tight on the touchline, was boxed in by McGeoghan and launched a diagonal ball back to Lee Duncanson on the right touchline to take a touch before floating a high ball into the box where Hugh Kerr got between Menzies and McAusland to leap and guide header into the back post inches wide of the finger tips of keeper Brian McGarrity at full stretch. Glens 1 Select 0, 29 minutes.

Played then ‘raged’ back and forth in the sweltering heat. Erskine in a busy box picked out Kerr on the six-yard only for his shot to deflect off McAusland and ball slip inches wide of the back post. Ross Lindsay corner kick was headed clear by McGeoghan, head and shoulder above a clutch of players from both sides. Glens continued to press, however without testing MGarrity.

Indeed it was the keeper that initiated the Select’s equaliser after he launched a high free kick from a yard within his box to the outskirts of the Glens box where although Findlay Frye won header, Lewis Currie was penalised for holding.  David Gray stepped up and curled the free wide of the two-man wall high towards the back post where Ally Park held off Lindsay before stooping to guide a header into the net beyond the reach of Markey stranded at the near post. Glens 1 Select 1, 40 minutes.

Two minutes later the Glens were back in front with some great build up play. Mullen gathered a short throw from Willet on then left and slipped the ball back to Wilson who held off Park to allow Mullen to pick up the static ball before playing a glorious one-two with Lindsay and gather the ball on the edge of the centre-circle, in the Select’s half,  before firing  a low ball for Shuggy Kerr to trap at the edge of the ‘D’, turn and slam the ball from 18 yards beyond the advancing McGarrity. Glens 2 Select 1, 42 minutes.

David Gray tried to catch Markey off his line from the kick-off only for the ball to drift wide of target. On the closing minute Duncanson from wide on the right whipped a cross deep into the box where Kerr outleapt the fence only for his header flashed wide of the post.

HT Glens 2 Alan Cairns Select 1

Glens made three changes at the break with Lewis Currie, Ross Lindsay and Michael Mullen making way for Ryan McCubbin, Evan Maley and Cammy Ross.

The Select made several changes with Ally Park, Kyle McAusland, Leon Murphy, David Gray, Jamie McGeoghan and Darren Frye making way for Cammy Marlow, Chris Meikle (Shotts Bona Accord), Raymond Montgomerie (Ardrossan Winton Rovers), Dean Fulton (Troon),Dave Gray and No. 14.

Glens were quickly on the front-foot without creating any decent chances.

Cammy Ross picked out Ryan McCubbin breaking down the right and from the outside of the box a couple yards from goal-line curled a ball into the box where the leaping Kerr’s header fell comfortably into McGarrity’s hands.

Soon after Erskine was tripped by Menzies on the outskirts of the box, on the right. Wilson drilled the free-kick low past the two-man wall only for McGarrity to get down low to save at the base of the post. The keeper then plucked Ross’s cross out of the air intended for the incoming Erskine.

A let off for the Glens when Anderson’s attempted clearance from the edge of the ‘D’ rebounded off the inrushing Findlay Frye sending the ball into the box only for the out-rushing Markey forcing Frye to go wide to the edge of the six-yard box but with Markey in pursuit the keeper blocked his attempt at goal and Willet cleared the ball upfield.

Back game Glens with McCubbin breaking  down the right to whip a high ball into the goalmouth which was headed out by Menzies the ball eventually falling for Wilson to drill a low shot from the 18-yard line which McGarrity held cleanly.

On 56 minutes The Select made a change with Craig Menzies, former Glenafton keeper, making way for Zach Simpson (Ardrossan Winton Rovers).

Glens continued to press Wilson from deep in his own half threaded a long ball through the middle for McCubbin bouncing off his heels which fell for Kerr to gather and play a one-two with Ross before curling a shot from 20 yards which McGarrity had covered, but safety first Chris Meikle intervened to send a powerful header into orbit; the corner that followed was safely cleared.

On the hour mark The Select made their final change with Dale Moore making way for Calum McEwan (Cumnock Juniors).

Soon after, Kerr Blasted a free kick from 30 yards that sailed over the bar.

On 65 minutes Glens made a double substitution with David Markey and Chris Erskine making way for James Hart and Calum McFadyen.

Glens then strung together a well worked moved beginning with keeper Hart rolling the ball to Duncanson on the right touchline before squaring it to Anderson at the edge of the box who quickly slotted it down the right wing for Maley to gather and then cut inside before returning the ball to the advancing Anderson. Forward he went and slipped the ball to Ross on the right wing who quickly clipped it further down the touchline for Wilson to chase down and after holding off Simpson before driving to the bye-line and cutting inside to pick out McCubbin in the six yard only for Dave Gray to intercept and hook the ball clear.

Another fine patient move saw David Craig collect the ball deep on the right and the switch it to McFadyen on the left who slotted it up the touchline for Willet who then rolled it back to Craig in the Glens. The midfielder quickly picked out Wilson in the centre circle and in turn he clipped the ball to Ross on the right wing to play and slick one-two with Duncanson on the overlap down the touchline before squaring the ball for McCubbin only for shot to be blocked by Meikle and cleared upfield by McEwan.

The Select enjoyed a good spell deep in the Glens half on the left with captain Cairns pulling the strings before slipping the ball to Fulton who worked his way across the outskirt of the to find an opening in the Glens defence before drilling a low shot that was comfortable held by Hart.

Back came the Glens with Duncanson on the right exchanging passes with Ross and McFadyen before picking out Kerr who held of the challenge of Cairn and Gray before cracking a shot from 22 yards that sailed high and wide of target.

At the other end Cairns curled a high ball into a busy box which was headed well clear by David Craig only to be gathered by McEwan who, with Craig and McFadyen closing in, calmly squared the ball to Cairns who held off Ross and McFadyen to stab the ball forward for Marlow in space, to tee up a diagonal shot from 20 yards that dipped over the bar.

Soon after Frye picked out Gray in the centre circle who rolled the ball out to McEwan, tight on the right wing, who quickly burst up the right touchline and played the slickest of one-twos with No. 14 before progressing to the bye-line and although boxed in by Craig and Willet he managed to break free and crack a shot-cum-cross into the goalmouth, as Fulton had arrived in the six yard box with Ross for company, only for Hart to pull off a great save. Fulton rolled the loose ball back to the inrushing Montgomerie only for Ross to block.

Play raged back and forth, albeit the clouds were gathering!

Glens pushed forward with Evan Maley having to hurdle McEwan’s tackle on the outskirts of the ‘D’. Wilson drilled the free-kick through the wall taking a bounce inside the six yard box and although McGarrity got down low to get both hands on the ball, it slipped from his grasp and the alert Kerr was first to chase down the loose ball a few feet from the post and with Cairns on his heels he rolled the ball back to Cammy Ross to blast a diagonal shot from 7 yards out into the back of the net. Glens 3 Select 1, 81 mins.

The home side dominated the closing ten minutes and several half chances came and went. However, The Select would have the last say. McEwan from the right floated a corner-kick high into the goalmouth and although there were no takers the referee had spotted an earlier infringement, presumably a push on Findlay Frye by Cameron Ross, leaving him lying flat in the box. Up stepped Alan Cairns ‘Talbot Slayer’ to slam the spot-kick into the net. Glens 3 Select 2, 90 minutes.

Once both sides had lined up for the kick-off Alan was substituted allowing him to walk off the park to the applause of the crowd and meet with his family.

David Gray came on as substitute, only for the final whistle to be blown soon after.

FT Glenafton 3 Alan Cairns Select 2

The formal presentations later took place in the clubhouse. Glenafton thanked Alan for his service to the club and wished him all the best at Ardrossan Winton Rovers for the coming season.

GLENAFTON ATHLETIC
1. David Markey; 2. Lee Duncanson 5. Blair Anderson 4. Lewis Currie (15. Ryan McCubbin) 3. Jared Willet; 11. Chris Erskine (12. Calum McFadyen), 8. Ross Lindsay (14. Evan Maley), 6. Calum Wilson 7. David Craig; 9. Shuggy Kerr (captain), 10. Michael Mullen (16. Cammy Ross).

ALAN CAIRNS SELECT
1. Brian McGarrity; 2. Ally Park (20. Raymond Montgomerie) 5. Kyle McAusland (17. Chris Meikle) 4. Craig Menzies (16. Zach Simpson) 3. Alan Cairns (captain); 11. Leon Murphy (No. 14) 6. David Gray (7. Dave Gray) 8. Dale Moore (19. Calum McEwan) 7. Conor Lynass (15. Jamie McGeoghan); 9. Findlay Frye 10. Darren Frye (12. Dean Fulton)

Match Photos

Glenafton Athletic vs. Alan Cairns Select