Auchinleck Talbot shock grabs Ayrshire's football headlines

Few expected anything other than a comfortable home win when Auchinleck Talbot welcomed Lossiemouth United to Beechwood Park in the second round of the Scottish Junior Cup.

But the visitors, currently fifth in the SJFA’s North Region second tier, took probably the biggest scalp in their history when they won 3-2, leaving Talbot’s hopes of a 15th tournament triumph in tatters; Alex Matczak’s late winner, after Connor Boyd and Luke Gillies scored for the home side, secured the Coulardbank Park team’s place in round two.

Talbot were on the wrong end of a huge cup shock on Saturday as Lossiemouth United dumped Tommy Sloan's men out of the Junior Cup with a 3-2 win at Beechwood Park. (Image: Craig McGhee/Auchinleck Talbot FC)

Talbot’s shock exit will undoubtedly leave plenty of other big Ayrshire names thinking that this might just be their year – and among them could be Largs Thistle, who remain unbeaten at home this season and for whom Jamie Martin and Lewis Davidson scored in a 2-0 win at Barrfields against a dangerous Sauchie Juniors side lying in fourth place in the East of Scotland Premier Division.

Largs join Beith Juniors in the hat for round three, with the remaining second round ties for Ayrshire’s sides to be played on September 21.

In the Premier Division on Saturday, Jimmy Kirkwood’s Troon side missed the chance to go out on their own as Ayrshire’s leading challengers in the title fight after going down 2-0 away to second top Drumchapel.

Champions Beith also had an opportunity to climb to fourth in the table, behind the leading trio of Clydebank, Drumchapel and Johnstone Burgh, but Chris Strain’s men were on the wrong end of a surprise result of their own when they lost 2-1 at home to Gartcairn; Andy Monk gave the hosts the lead 10 minutes before the break, only for Ian McShane to level from a free kick.

Robert Thomson grabbed what turned out to be the winner two minutes after the interval, with the combination of the woodwork and some fantastic saves by the Gartcairn keeper leaving the home side empty-handed.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pollok FC are pleased to confirm that the supporter who took unwell at yesterday’s match against Cumnock Juniors at Townhead Park is well and did not require hospital treatment.<br><br>Full statement below:<a href="https://t.co/s0qwpav2rS">https://t.co/s0qwpav2rS</a></p>— Pollok FC (@pollokfc) <a href="https://twitter.com/pollokfc/status/1832723569098277255?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Cumnock Juniors were leading 2-1 at home to Pollok when their match had to be abandoned due to a medical emergency involving a visiting supporter; thankfully, according to an update shared by the Glasgow club, the fan is recovering at home and did not need hospital treatment.

Glenafton’s impressive start to the campaign seems a long time ago now after Ryan Caddis’s men tumbled to a 3-0 defeat away to Benburb, now led by former Darvel boss David Winters and his brother Robbie, with the result meaning the Loch Park side are now six games without a win.

Hurlford were unable to stop the Clydebank steamroller in its tracks as Gordon Moffat’s side extended their 100 per cent start to the campaign to a seventh match with a 4-1 win at Blair Park; at the other end of the table, Darvel finally picked up their first league point of the season at the sixth time of asking, with Aiden Gilmartin and Jonny Black on target as the Vale twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to Shotts – a result achieved despite playing more than half the game with 10 men after Leon Murphy was shown a second yellow before the break.

Stevie Wilson’s late winner saw Maybole take over the mantle of Ayrshire’s leading challengers in the First Division after the Ladywell Park side won 1-0 away to Blantyre Vics, climbing to sixth place in the table in the process.

The spoils were shared in an entertaining North Ayrshire derby clash at Valefield Park, where Alan Frizzell gave Kilbirnie Ladeside the interval advantage against Kilwinning Rangers; the Buffs bounced back after the break, taking the lead through Bryan Boylan and Campbell McLean, but Aaron Robertson struck late on for Colin Spence’s men as the game ended 2-2.

The final score was the same at Fullarton Park, where Lewis Kennedy’s quickfire double saw Irvine Meadow battle back from two down to take a point away to Vale of Clyde; Ardrossan Winton Rovers, though, had a tougher afternoon away to an in-form Renfrew side who extended their unbeaten run to six matches with a 4-0 win at New Western Park.

Muirkirk Juniors remain top of the Second Division, but their lead at the top has been cut to three points after the Burnside Park men’s remarkable run of seven straight wins to start the campaign was ended by a 3-2 defeat at home to Forth Wanderers, with Jamie Scullion and Alan Semple the hosts’ goalscorers.

Muirkirk Juniors' 100 per cent start to the Second Division campaign was ended by a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Forth Wanderers at Burnside Park. (Image: Muirkirk Junior FC)

Among the teams coming up on the rails are Whitletts Victoria, whose free-scoring form hit new heights with a thumping 8-0 win away to Caledonian Locomotive, including a hat-trick by Michael Moffat and a goal on his first appearance of the season by player-boss Mick McCann – remarkably the third time this season that Vics have scored seven or more goals in one match.

Bonnyton Thistle dropped to second bottom after a 3-0 loss away to Lanark United, while imes remain tough at the other end of the table for Craigmark Burntonians, who are still without a point seven games into the campaign.

The Mark had led away to Bellshill Athletic, but their 2-1 first half advantage had turned into a 3-2 deficit by the break, with the hosts’ Stuart Docherty adding a fourth after the interval to give the Rockburn Park side their first win of the season.

Dylan Fraser’s late header earned Girvan a 1-1 draw in their all-Ayrshire clash at Hamilton Park against an Ardeer Thistle side who dropped to fourth in the Third Division table as a result, with Thomas Miller’s goal early in the second half not enough for the visitors.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">90’FULL TIME<br>Finishes all square here as the home side rescue a point at the death! <a href="https://t.co/tId2AYdUJ3">pic.twitter.com/tId2AYdUJ3</a></p>— Lugar Boswell Thistle FC (@LugarFC1878) <a href="https://twitter.com/LugarFC1878/status/1832431716734005549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lugar Boswell Thistle were also denied by a late goal, in their case away to Vale of Leven, though the Jaggy Bunnets will almost certainly view the result as two points dropped after their hosts were reduced to 10 men for the final 15 minutes, but were still able to come back from 3-1 down to snatch a draw at the death.

Dalry Thistle finished with nine men and on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline away to leaders Thorn Athletic, though the Merksworth Park side made the hosts sweat despite their numerical disadvantage after the Johnstone side had opened up a 3-0 lead early in the second half.

Having finished August in encouraging fashion with three wins on the spin, Irvine Vics were brought back down to earth with a bump courtesy of a 7-2 home defeat by Glasgow Perthshire on Saturday, with Alessandro Savarese’s double the only bright spots for the hosts.

The Fourth Division derby day honours went to Saltcoats Victoria, who had been winless since the opening day but who bounced back in style to win 2-1 away to Eglinton; Marc Walker opened the scoring for the Jousters early on, but Euan Anderson levelled on 12 minutes – and a dramatic second half saw Saltcoats reduced to 10 men and then to nine before Adam Kamara snatched a winner for the Campbell Park side six minutes from the end.

Kello Rovers, though, continue to lead the local charge in the bottom tier thanks to a fine 5-0 win away to Giffnock, with Lori Johnson, Blair Phillips, Josh Kerr, Jhy Rorison and an own goal on the visitors’ record as the Nithside Park men stay in fourth, five points behind leaders Knightswood.