There has been much coming and going since the final whistle was blown on season 2014/15 with Cumnock in particular experiencing wholesale changes at Townhead Park, something gaffer John McKeown hopes will be a positive.

He said: “We have such a big squad now, there are 19 players, and there is plenty competition for places which is something which was lacking a bit when I came here. For a long spell we were relying on bringing in loan players but everyone is keen to get going.

“But it doesn’t get much tougher than taking on Auchinleck in our opening match. A lot of people still regard the Ardagh League Cup as a pre-season competition, but we are looking at it as putting down a good marker for the season ahead.

“Playing Talbot is a big match for any team, as they are the benchmark for us all, while the punters always look forward to matches between the teams, but Saturday will give us an idea of where we are as regards progress since last season.

“We have made a lot of changes while Talbot have done their usual, bringing in just two or three players, but this is early days for Cumnock. All the new signings have performed well with only Andy Scott, who we signed from Bo’ness, struggling a bit through injury. He hasn’t been able to do much pre-season.” Cumnock have also brought in Lewis McMurdo, Jonathon Lindsay, Paul Murphy, Derek Esplin, Josh Watt, Ross McNeil, Nicholas Moore, Aiden Malone, and Paul Burns who joins from Queen of the South, with several players leaving the club.

Up the road, at Beechwood Park, Talbot manager Tommy Sloan has not been quite as busy, but the changes do not appear to have had a detrimental effect on the team if their last two pre-season results are anything to go by — two away victories over leading East Region sides Newtongrange Star, 5-0, and Bo’ness United, 2-0.

Sloan said: “They are two good sides, and we had a few injury problems going into both matches but the players that came in showed a decent level of fitness and performed well. Pre-season has gone well with a few decent results.

“But it looks as if we will have three definitely out on Saturday — Mark Campbell, Robert Love, and Lee Cochrane, while one or two others are doubtful, including Martin McGoldrick.

“Both teams are going into the game in good form, while Cumnock have made some good signings such as Paul Burns, who is a quality player, and they have also brought in a couple of strikers. It will be a difficult match but we are looking forward to it.