Largs Thistle 1 Troon 2


Largs fell flat as they were knocked out of the Soccer Shop South Scotland Cup third round by Troon as Ben Black made a goalscoring return to Barrfields.
It was Thistle's second defeat in a row to the South Ayrshire side in a week, and while an extraordinary save denied extra-time, Largs never really got going in this match until the second half when they were already two goals down.
The opening goal arrived on eight minutes and it was former Thistle star Ben Black who drove in from the left wing and hit a right footed shot which whistled into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the area. Troon nearly scored again from a long range blast which flashed narrowly wide moments later.

The visitors scored a second on 44 minutes - and it was another corner kick collapse from Thistle as a ball was swung into the box for Maitland to get his head on it and score in what was almost a carbon copy of the goal from the week before. See clip below.


There must have been some real soul searching going on in the Thistle dressing room as Largs found themselves two goals down yet the match had barely came to life.
It was an improved second half at the very least and Thistle's top scorer Will Sewell raced down the left wing and onto goal with the Troon keeper Marc Fisher racing off his line to narrow the angle and the effort just whizzed right of the far post. See clip below.


Thistle halved the deficit on 63 minutes as Blair MacIntyre's long range pass on the left found Laurie McMaster scampering through on goal from the right wing.
After overcoming a challenge, McMaster had a clear sight of goal to drill a diagonal effort into the net. See clip below.



New signing Connor McGoldrick is a defender but he ended up being pushed upfront as Largs tried to net an equaliser and it very nearly happened.
Sewell's clever lay-off on the left wing allowed Stuart Faulds to curve over a dangerous cross to the near post which the towering McGoldrick managed to side volley to McLeod waiting in space.
His downward header was somehow flipped away by Wilson's feet in the Troon goal, and the ball was frantically cleared. See clip below.


McGoldrick's aerial threat was also displayed after a corner kick from the right and a firm header which was cleared off the line by Troon on 80 minutes.
In stoppage time Largs won a free kick on the right after Sewell was hacked down as he raced towards the wing.
Sub Jack Haggerty's probing ball found McGoldrick again and his header was again nodded back out by a defender at the left post.
The full time whistle then sounded and again there was a hollow feeling that Largs really hadn't turned up - and when they did, Troon were already two goals up and had given themselves a mountain to climb.
After some really gutsy wins on the road against Blantyre, Cumnock and Rossvale, as well as a thrilling 3-3 draw against Hurlford at Barrfields, Largs have inexplicably been a shadow of those sides in recent weeks.
They need to re-emerge and rediscover their mojo for one of the biggest matches of the season this Saturday as they face Dundee North End in the Scottish Junior Cup.
We have seen that the capability and talent is there within but its the application which has been absent and Largs need to get out of this rut immediately.
LARGS: Farrell, McMaster, Ballantyne, Love, Gray, MacIntyre, Adam, W.Sewell, Forbes. Subs: McBryde, G.Sewell, Docherty, Haggerty, Lindsay McGoldrick, McGowan (GK).