Round-up of recent friendly results
PRE-SEASON preparations are now well under way for Ayrshire’s teams as players and managers look ahead to the start of the new West of Scotland Football League season at the end of the month.
Premier Division champions Beith Juniors have a busy programme of seven friendly matches before beginning the defence of their title against Rob Roy at Bellsdale on July 29 – and Chris Strain’s men have won the first three of those, beating two Lanarkshire sides, Bellshill Athletic and Blantyre Victoria, on home turf either side of a 2-1 win away to North Ayrshire rivals Ardrossan Winton Rovers.
Last season’s top-flight runners-up, Auchinleck Talbot, may be in the midst of a significant squad rebuild after the 2022-23 campaign – but there were no signs of Tommy Sloan’s new-look squad struggling to adjust as they saw off Whitletts Vics 7-0 on Saturday in their opening pre-season match, and indeed Talbot might have hit double figures with a little more luck.
Glenafton Athletic began their pre-season programme with a 1-0 defeat at St Roch’s on Saturday, with ex-Glens man Billy Gilmour among those watching on from the sidelines after joining his old club for a training session last week, while Irvine Meadow picked up some valuable game time against opposition from higher up the league ladder in the shape of East Kilbride, who won 6-1 at Meadow Park on Saturday.
Cumnock Juniors’ pre-season fixtures under new manager John Doyle don’t get under way until tomorrow, when Caledonian Locomotives – formerly known as Rossvale – are the visitors to Townhead Park.
Kilwinning Rangers’ preparations for life in the First Division began on Saturday with a 2-1 loss away to Stirling University’s Lowland League side, while Scott Lewis scored the only goal as Kilbirnie Ladeside won 1-0 away to Carnoustie Panmure, and Dalry Thistle chalked up an encouraging 3-2 win over Neilston at Merksworth Park.
Ryan Caddis’s Craigmark side lost 3-2 away to Darvel on Saturday, while Irvine Vics were beaten 3-1 by Ashfield at the Stepford Football Centre in Glasgow’s East End and Ardeer boss Sean Kenney saw his side defeat BSC Glasgow 2-1 at home.
Girvan kicked off their pre-season plans with a 6-4 win over amateur side Stewarton United, while Eglinton FC began their preparations for the big kick-off in the Fourth Division with a 3-2 win away to Craigmark last Tuesday.