POSITIVES are being taken from Troon's 3-1 defeat against Auchinleck Talbot by boss Jim Kirkwood as he turns his attention to a final promotion push.

Troon, at the time of writing, still need to win their final two league games - at home to Rutherglen Glencairn on Saturday and away to Larkhall Thistle on a date to be determined - to win a place in next season's Premiership.

Kirkwood said: "We had a very young team out on Saturday and when you take Ally McInnes, Scott Chatham and Dean Keenan out of it, then it's essentially an Under-23 side. This season we have really pushed through younger players and they have been doing well. Talbot are a very good side but I would say in the first half Andy Leishman was more tested than Ally. Dean Keenan scored a great free-kick for us but it was a disappointing result. However our main priority is the league."

The manager added: "Hopefully we can achieve what will be our third promotion in my eight years at the club, that would be a good achievement. But it's more about the players than me.

"Rutherglen know this is a game they must win to have a chance of making the playoffs so they will be up for it. But hopefully we will attract a good crowd as this is the only game with any real significance. If we win our last two games we are promoted and that is our target."