Ayrshire Post

TROON ON BRINK OF THE TOP FLIGHT

Gaffer hopes fitness will count in second leg

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Argentina (10/1, Skybet and Betfred) can lift the World Cup that kicks off on Thursday.

Portugal (25/1, Coral, Ladbrokes and Hills) is the each-way alternativ­e.

World Cup Four-Fold: Argentina, France, Germany and Russia to win their opening games (11/4, Marathon Bet). For Super Six add: Brazil and Germany (9/1, Uni Bet). Meanwhile, Cracksman (5/4, Paddy Power) should have too much class in hand to land the Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot next Wednesday (4.20).

Crystal Ocean (14/1, Paddy Power) is the each-way alternativ­e.

Troon put one foot in the new Premiershi­p with an impressive victory over Girvan on Monday night.

The Portland Parkers fell behind to a cool finish from Girvan’s Robert Patterson.

But two second half goals from Mark Sherrie and Keir Knapp gave the First Division side an advantage heading into tonight’s (Wednesday’s) second leg.

However, Troon boss Jimmy Kirkwood insists that nothing has been decided yet.

He said: “I thought that we played the better football all night.

“Obviously Girvan are a stuffy side and they’re well organised and they have a game plan to go from back to front as quick as they can on the counter, but I thought we dealt with that pretty well with that all night.

“We had three blatant oneon-ones with the goalkeeper, we haven’t scored and our chances should have taken us to five or six goals.

“Any team that missed the chances we did tonight would be disappoint­ed, but we knocked the ball about well and played positively.

“When we get the chances we need to take them, as we could go to Girvan on Wednesday and not get any.”

Slack Troon defending from a free-kick gave Girvan the lead after 32 minutes when Michael Reilly played a pass to the unmarked Patterson who calmly curled the ball into the top corner.

But Troon came out firing in the second half as left back Sherrie dispossess­ed Girvan’s Craig Reid after 49 minutes and drove into the box before smashing a shot past the helpless Scott Johnstone.

And after 73 minutes of pressure, the home side finally took the lead.

Knapp picked up the ball on the right wing and confidentl­y cut inside and curled the ball into Johnstone’s right-hand corner.

Kirkwood added: “Wednesday won’t be easy, but we are fitter than them so we just have to go out there and go at them.

“Both sides have played a lot of games and the boys are tired, but we just have to go and try and play with a lot of energy.

“All we have to do is score one goal more than them and we are through.

“The one thing Girvan have over us is that they have a great team spirit.

“We just have to combat that by playing with a high tempo.”

•The second leg will be played at Hamilton Park in Girvan tonight (Wednesday) at 7.30pm.

 ??  ?? Not over yet Jimmy Kirkwood
Not over yet Jimmy Kirkwood

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