COLIN SPENCE wants to avoid Troon to be labelled as Ardagh Glass Cup favourites despite their impressive start to the new Junior season.

The Portland Park side have blasted out of the blocks and appear to be up and running in their quest to go one better than last time out when they finished runners-up to Hurlford United in the prestigious Cup competition.

An opening day 2-2 draw with Whitletts Vics was followed by Spenny and his team-mates restoring normal service with victories over Maybole and Girvan to leave Troon sitting atop the Section 3 pile and looking good for a quarter-final place.

The experienced midfielder said: “To have remained unbeaten after three starts is very satisfying but nobody at this club is getting carried away with results.

“We know there are bigger and tougher challenges to come if we want to go all the way again and our focus is on nothing other than staying in pole position to earn ourselves home advantage in the last eight.

“That can be crucial considering one of Auchinleck, Cumnock or Glenafton are shaping up as our likely opponents but that in itself is an exciting rather than a frightening prospect for the players here.

“Our gaffer Gordon Burns has added real quality signings during the summer months, none more so than big Ross Robertson whose ability to attack the ball at set-pieces is exactly what we needed and I can see a lot of goals coming from his partnership with Adam Forsyth.

“And I’ve been impressed with another ex-Hurlford and Cumnock player, Ryan Nisbet who was loaned out by Ayr United last season and is looking a real cracker.

“There’s a far greater depth to our squad with a decent mix of young and old so here’s hoping the extra competition for jerseys brings out the best in us.”

Troon gaffer Burns is pleased with his transfer marker dealings and is confident his playing charges are capable of bettering last season’s fourth top Super Premier Division placing.

He insisted: “Ross and Ryan ate attracting a lot of attention as befitting strikers but we’ve also stiffened things up defensively with signing Dean Keenan on a permanent deal after he spent last term on loan from Stranraer.

“And there’s a young defender brought in from Bonnyton Amateurs by the name of Andrew Strachan who has shown great promise in his appearances up to now.

“We will not set the players any targets other than to take each game and work hard to pick up the points and see where it gets us.

“Craigmark come to Portland Park tomorrow night and we’re expected to win with ease but football has a habit of tripping you up so we have to give them every respect and concentrate on getting the job done.”

Meanwhile, in an absorbing game of three penalty-kicks last night, Beith continued their winning ways with a 4-1 comeback win over a battling Ardrossan Winton Rovers at Bellsdale Park.

Rovers had taken a shock lead through a goal from former Greenock frontman Kenny Munro goal and then survived a first penalty-kick decision against them when Richie Burke fired his spot-kick straight at goalkeeper John Mullen.

But an equaliser from Darren Christie saw the teams on level pegging going in at the interval and Mighty substitute Thomas Collins converted a further two spot-kick awards after the break to go along with a Paul Frize counter and seal a 4-1 triumph.

Elsewhere, arch rivals Auchinleck Talbot and Cumnock played out a typically competitive 1-1 Beechwood Park draw that leaves the Section Four qualification places up for grabs.

Mark Shankland’s early strike had put a smile on the faces of home supporters, however Cumnock gained parity with a second-half Scott Anson goal.

Forth Wanderers picked up the spoils in the only Exsel Group Cup played as George McGeechan netted the only goal of the game at home to Larkhall Thistle.

PLAYING TOMORROW

(Kick-offs 7pm)

Exsel Group Sectional League Cup Section One: Lanark Utd v Royal Albert, Lesmahagow v Forth Wanderers. Section Two: Gartcairn v Wishaw, Newmains Utd v Carluke Rovers.

Section Three: St Roch's v Shettleston, Petershill v Bellshill Athletic.

Section Four: Vale of Clyde v East Kilbride Thistle, Blantyre Vics v Rutherglen Glencairn.

Section Five: Pollok v Neilston, Benburb v Arthurlie.

Section Six: Yoker Athletic v Glasgow Perthshire, Maryhill v Clydebank.

Section Seven: Renfrew v Port Glasgow, Greenock v Johnstone Burgh.

Section Eight: Dunipace v Kilsyth Rangers, Cumbernauld Utd v Rossvale.

Ardagh Glass Cup. Section One: Beith v Largs Thistle, Dalry Thistle v Kilbirnie Ladeside, Ardrossan Winton Rovers v Kilwinning Rangers.

Section Two: Hurlford Utd v Saltcoats Vics, Ardeer Thistle v Irvine Vics, Irvine Meadow v Darvel.

Section Three: Troon v Craigmark, Girvan v Whitletts Vics Maybole v Annbank Utd.

Section Four: Muirkirk v Kello Rovers, Glenafton v Cumnock, Auchinleck Talbot v Lugar Boswell.

FRIDAY

(Kick-off 7pm)

Ardagh Glass Cup. Section One: Irvine Meadow v Irvine Vics.

SATURDAY

(Kick-offs 2pm)

Exsel Group Sectional League Cup Section One: Lanark Utd v Lesmahagow, Royal Albert v Larkhall Thistle. Section Two: Carluke Rovers v Gartcairn, Shotts Bon Accord.

Section Three: Bellshill Athletic v St Roch's, Thorniewood Utd v Shettleston v Petershill.

Section Four: Rutherglen Glencairn v East Kilbride Thistle, Cambuslang Rangers v Blantyre Vics.

Section Five: Arthurlie v Pollok, St Anthony's v Neilston.

Section Six: Ashfield v Clydebank, Yoker Athletic v Maryhill.

Section Seven: Port Glasgow v Greenock Johnstone Burgh v Renfrew, Vale of Leven v Port Glasgow.

Section Eight: Rob Roy v Rossvale, Dunipace v Cumbernauld Utd.

Ardagh Glass Cup. Section One: Kilwinning Rangers v Beith, Kilbirnie Ladeside v Ardrossan Winton Rovers, Largs Thistle v Dalry Thistle.

Section Two: Darvel v Saltcoats Vics, Ardeer Thistle v Hurlford Utd.

Section Three: Craigmark v Girvan, Whitletts Vics v Maybole, Annbank Utd v Troon.

Section Four: Lugar Boswell v Glenafton, Kello Rovers v Auchinleck Talbot, Cumnock v Muirkirk.