Report

QUICKFIRE TALBOT SINK THE MEADOW

Report: Murray Steele, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn.

Talbot bounced back from the disappointment of last week with a crucial win over Meadow to secure the first home win of the league campaign.

Before kick-off there was a minute’s silence in memory of Robbie Meiklem – former Talbot youth squad player.

Talbot’s main problem this season has been hitting the back of the net but against Meadow, Talbot found themselves two goals ahead within the opening 3 minutes.

The Bot’s first attack saw McPherson clip the ball up to Wardrope who chested it down into the path of Smith. He rolled it out to LUKE GILLIES overlapping down the left and his cross took a deflection off Wallace and ended up in the back of the net.

A minute later Talbot doubled their lead. Thomson swung over a cross from the left that broke off Wardrope 6 yards out and fell to JAMIE GLASGOW to stab it home on his return to Beechwood.

Talbot kept pressing forward and created another chance in the 8^th minute. Wardrope & Glasgow worked it out left to Gillies whose low ball into the centre was cut out at the near post. Meadow were unable to clear their lines and the ball was fed back out to Gillies who dropped a cross right onto the head of Smith who saw his header held by Waters.

In the 11^th minute Talbot were awarded a free kick deep in the Meadow half. Wardrope played it into the feet of Smith who turned it wide left to find Thomson whose angled ball across goal to the back post only needed a touch but sped behind for the goal kick.

Talbot were well in control and it took until the 28^th minute before Meadow offered any kind of threat. O’Donnell’s floated free kick was headed behind by McPherson and when the corner came over McDowall met it at the back post but headed over the bar.

A minute later Glasgow latched onto a ball over the top of the defence and fired over the bar on the half-volley.

Meadow’s only real threat appeared to be Ross down the left wing and he whipped over a dangerous cross on the half hour mark that McCracken headed clear at the back post.

A 3^rd goal would have settled things and Talbot nearly got it in the 32^nd minute. Wardrope’s corner came off a Meadow head and skipped out to the left where it was crossed back into the 6-yard area and Waters produced a quality save – diving to his left to turn McPherson’s header round the post.

From the resultant corner Waters again produced a top save. Wardrope’s driven corner was dummied by Smith and came to Glasgow who guided a shot on target that Waters tipped wide of his right hand post.

Meadow’s keeper was let off the hook in the 36^th minute when he fumbled McCracken’s long range daisy cutter – spilling it behind for the corner. When the corner came over Slooves just failed to connect at the back post.

A minute later Smith came close when he drilled a low shot from 20 yards just past the right hand post.

The chances were coming thick & fast and Smith ought to have extended Talbot’s lead in the 38^th minute. A ball up the left was met by Wardrope who laid it back into the path of Gillies. He crossed it straight onto Smith’s head but he directed the free header off target.

Three minutes before the break Ross was cautioned for a foul on McPherson out on the touchline and soon after the whistle blew with Talbot fans happy with the performance whilst knowing that the game could have been done and dusted.

Meadow made a change at the start of the 2^nd period with Faulds on for Brennan.

Talbot started the 2^nd half positively and McPherson won a corner in the 48^th minute. When it came over McCracken met it and a scramble ensued in the Meadow 6-yard box with first McCracken’s effort then McPherson’s shot blocked before spinning through to the keeper.

A minute later Findlay had his name taken for going through the back of Thomson.

The Bot had a half chance to move further ahead in the 51^st minute. Wardrope’s reverse pass sent Smith away down the left and he cut into the penalty area and fired into the side-netting at the near post. Shortly after Smith had his name taken for a shirt tug on Faulds.

Glavin had been a virtual spectator but did well in the 53^rd minute when O’Donnell let fly from 30 yards – tipping his shot over the crossbar. When the resultant corner came over Slooves headed it clear but Meadow were first to the loose ball and whipped in a good low ball from the right that Glavin held.

Any hopes Meadow harboured of a fightback evaporated in the 57^th minute when Findlay received a 2^nd yellow card and his marching orders for a clumsy barge on Thomson.

In the 63^rd minute Armstrong tried to thread a pass through the centre that was cut out by the defence. It came out to McCracken who played it first time out to the left to find Smith in space and he broke into the area and fired it just wide of the near post.

Within a minute Water came to Meadow’s rescue to deny Talbot a further goal. Armstrong slipped a pass through to find Thomson running in behind the defence but the keeper reacted quickly – racing off his line and managing to block Thomson’s effort.

McCracken received a caution in the 65^th minute when he halted Ross’s progress down the left.

Both sides now made a change with Boyd on in place of Smith for Talbot and Ross making way for Ewart for the visitors.

In the 69^th minute Gillies played it into the feet of Boyd inside the area and he laid it off first time into the path of Glasgow who drilled a low shot across goal and narrowly wide of the left post.

Meadow made a further change in the 73^rd minute with Lambert on in place of Boyd.

Talbot were caught out in the 77^th minute when a ball through the centre saw Lambert breaking free. Slooves appeared to tug his shirt but the referee waved play on.

With 10 minutes remaining Abed came on in place of Glasgow.

The Bot won a corner down the right in the 81^st minute and when it came across goal and beyond the far post Thomson appeared to be bundled over on the by line but the ref ignored Talbot’s appeals for a penalty.

Five minutes from time Lennox was booked for a foul as he halted a Talbot break.

Talbot had a late chance to add to their tally when Boyle slid a pass through the defence to find Abed in the area but again Waters was quickly off his line to narrow the angle and make the block.

In the closing stages Thomson was replaced by Lennox and Talbot kept possession to see out time and claim a deserved victory.

A good win for the Bot who will look to take heart from this going into next week’s Scottish Junior cup tie away to old rivals Cumnock.

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, McCracken, Gillies, Slooves, McPherson, Wardrope, Armstrong, Boyle, Thomson, Smith, Glasgow

Subs – Boyd, Lennox, Abed, Park, Wilson, Schoneville, Henr

Irvine Meadow – Waters, Wallace, Byrne, Findlay, Lennox, McDowall, Brennan, O’Donnell, Boyd, Baird, Ross

Subs – Faulds, Ewart, Isaac Kerr, George, Louis Kerr, Lambert, McInnes