Unbeaten Rob Roy run ended by Troon

It was their first defeat after 14 league and cup successes since the start of the season - although Rabs were well worth a share of the points with a gritty performance.

Rabs had the bulk of the early play with Kevin Watt’s low effort taken safely by home keeper Ally Semple.

Then Gavin Mackie and Willie Sawyers combined well on the left for the latter to lay the ball off to Watt who fired high and wide from a good scoring position.

Troon responded with defender Gareth Armstrong’s shot from distance sailing over the bar.

Watt was prominent in most of Rabs attacking moves; in the 22nd minute from a Danny MacKenzie throw in his volley went narrowly over the bar.

But three minutes later against the run of play Troon broke the deadlock after Rabs keeper Jordan Brown spilled a straightforward shot before he could recover Colin Spence nipped in to send the loose rebound into the net.

Rabs came close to equalising on the half hour mark when Semple flapped at a Mackie corner the ball broke to Kevin Green who headed the ball goalwards only for Spence to head the ball off the line.

The visitors kept up the pressure with Green heading a Mackie corner kick against the junction of post and crossbar with Semple beaten.

There was controversy five minutes before the break when Ryan Nisbet rifled in a low drive it deflected off MacKenzie and landed in the Rabs net.

Referee Haswell awarded the ‘goal’ before being advised by his assistant that the ball had entered the net through a hole in the side netting.

The referee then awarded a corner kick, causing uproar amongst the Troon players and management who claimed that the ball entered the net by legitimate means.

On the half-time whistle Dale Moore’s volley from the edge of the box cannoned off Brown’s crossbar.

The first chance of the half fell to Rabs with Sawyers header from a Scott Walker cross drifting wide.

Rabs playing attacking football kept on the attack but with the Ayrshire side defending well were finding it difficult to make any breakthrough.

With the introduction of strong running substitute Amadou Kassarate, Rabs looked more dangerous but Troon were quick on the break with Brown punching clear a Spence free-kick before parrying to safety a shot from substitute Ross Robertson. Gavin Collins then powered a header over Rabs bar.

In the final minute Collins became the seventh Troon player to be shown the yellow card but his side played out time to be the first side to defeat Rob Roy this season.

Despite the defeat Rob Roy remain three points clear at the top of the Super League table ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Beith.