Talbot had to settle for a share of the spoils after an end to end encounter against Beith which saw both keepers pull off vital saves.

With both sides looking for the win the opening exchanges were frantic but nervy with neither side settling

The first promising attack from either side came in the 9th minute when Boyd slung a ball into the box from the right. It came to Boyle who couldn’t get a shot away and he sent it back out wide to Boyd who curled a great cross over to the back post but unfortunately no one had read it.

A minute later though Talbot took the lead in style. Schoneville started and finished the move; robbing Monti of the ball before feeding it on to Gillies who in turn sent it into the feet of McAvoy. He returned it back to SCOTT SCHONEVILLE who drilled an unstoppable low drive past Stott into the far corner.

Two minutes later Talbot came agonisingly close to a second. McAvoy’s shot was deflected behind for a corner on the right and when Wardrope sent it over McPherson rose highest to meet it only to see his header cannon off the top of the bar.

In the 13th minute Talbot were on the back foot when Mason won a free kick out wide on the right. Monti’s first ball in was a poor one but it came back out to him and his 2nd cross found Dunne on the left of the area. He hooked it across goal where McPherson headed it wide of the left post for the corner

A minute later the visitors had a half chance down their left. A diagonal ball found Mason inside the area and he cut inside and curled a shot over the bar.

It should have been all square in the 17th minute. Diver passed it inside to Wilson who fired it on target. Glavin did well to get a hand to it to send it wide but it landed beyond the far post where Monti looked set to equalise but he failed to hit the target.

Beith were on top and had another chance moments later. Diver managed to block Sloove’s attempted clearance and squared it inside for Mason. He lost his footing and appeared to handle it but the ref waved play on and he hit the target from a tight angle but didn’t really test Glavin.

McAvoy had his name taken in the 19th minute following an Oscar worthy piece of histrionics from Noble who made a Lazarus like recovery once the card was shown.

In the 24th minute Glavin produced an impressive stop to maintain Talbot’s lead. Mason’s low ball into the area was cleared by Wilson but came out to Rough in space 30 yards out and he hammered a shot goalward which Glavin tipped over the bar

Talbot’s next attack saw a shy from the right met by Wardrope who cut inside and went for goal only to see it blocked behind for the corner. When the corner came over Boyd met it but could only head wide of the far post.

There were then chances at both ends. Firstly Langan did well on the left before flighting a cross to the far corner of the 6-yard box which proved just too high for Wardrope to control his header and get it on target then the Bot were immediately caught out by a long punt down the centre which saw Mason get in behind the defence but his shot slipped wide of the left post.

The Bot nearly added a 2nd in the 35th minute. Langan nicked it off Dunne as he tried to make his way forward and quickly switched play to find Wardrope on the right of the area. He cut inside and drilled a low shot on goal that Stott saved with his outstretched leg.

Two minutes later Talbot again came close. Gillies raced down the left and swung over a dangerous cross that beat everyone and came back off the bar. When it rebounded out the defence failed to clear it and it broke to Boyle who fired wide of the left post.

Talbot were then forced into an early change after McAvoy couldn’t shake off an injury and had to leave to be replaced by Smith.

It looked like Talbot were going to take a lead in at the break but Beith grabbed a leveller in the 45th minute. Wilson cut in off the left andplayed a one-two with Monti and when the ball was returned to him he was set to hit it till Aiden Wilson dived in to turn it behind for the corner. When the corner came over from the left DUNNE was left unmarked and he nodded home to make it 1-1.

Talbot then nearly regained the lead in 1st half injury time. Smith pounced on a defensive error and fired a low shot on target which Stott saved. The rebound came out to Wardope on the right of the area and he lashed a shot at goal that Stott managed to tip over the bar and the sides went in deadlocked at the break.

The visitors made the early running in the 2nd half without any real threat in the final third.

In the 53rd minute McPherson made a good surge through the centre past several Beith players before being halted just outside the penalty area when he took on one man too many.

Two minutes later Diver had a half chance when he cut onto his left foot and drilled a shot on target which Glavin blocked.

The Bot’s next attack saw a ball in behind find Smith down the right. He swept it across goal but it had a tad too much on it for Boyd to bring under control and the move petered out

In the 58th minute Boyd & Smith combined down the right to create a half chance for Boyle who blazed wide from 16 yards.

A minute later Boyle had another chance and this time his shot arrowed on target from 30 yards but Stott did well diving to his right to turn it wide of his post.

On the hour mark Talbot made a change with Glasgow on for Gillies.

Talbot had a scare in the 63rd minute. Wilson’s low cut back from the left resulted in a corner and when it came over it fell to Mason whose low shot was blocked by Glavin. The ball spun up toward goal but Boyd was back covering and cleared it out the 6-yard area.

Beith now made a change with Monk on in place of Monti.

In the 67th minute a shy down the right was thrown into Diver who laid out first time wide to Dunne. He whipped a good ball to the back post but there were no takers

Diver had been blocking Glavin from taking kick outs all game but the ref finally deigned to notice in the 73rd minute and booked Beith’s forward.

Tucker now made a double change with Langan & Wardrope making way for Armstrong & Urquhart.

In the 76th minute Armstrong sent the ball out wide left to find Glasgow and he delivered a good cross to the far post which Talbot failed to take advantage of.

The Bot’s next attack saw them countering through Urquhart who burst forward through the middle before releasing it wide to Boyd. He tried to square it inside the area to Smith but it was just behind him.

Talbot kept the pressure on and moments later Glasgow again sent a dangerous cross in from the left but this time Stott came off his line to punch it clear.

In the 81st minute Beith made a change with Findlay on for Noble.

A minute later Beith won a free kick 35 yards out when Urquhart caught Mason. Wilson took it and hit it well but it flew just high & wide of the right hand upright.

With 4 minutes remaining Frize received a caution when he hauled back Boyd as he burst forward resulting in a Bot free kick 30 yards out wide on the left. Glasgow floated it in where the defence could only partially clear it and it broke to Smith on the right of the area whose low drive was deflected behind for the corner. When the corner came into the back post Armstrong met it and headed it down and back across goal where it was turned behind for another corner which this time came to nothing.

Neither side had settled for a draw and in the closing minutes Talbot forced a string of corners as they pressed for a late winner which Beith managed to withstand. In the final minute of regulation time Beith’s Wilson knocked over a dangerous cross from the left that Glavin had to punch clear.

As the game moved into added time both sides picked up a caution a piece. O’Neil for wrestling Boyd to the deck and then Glasgow for dissent.

Deep into injury time Talbot had one last attack. Schoneville got forward and whipped a great cross into the back post but it didn’t break Talbot’s way and soon after the final whistle blew with honours even.

A good display by Talbot who might on another day have taken all 3 points. Next up for the Bot is a Tuesday night trip up to Loch Park to face the Glens.

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, McPherson, Schoneville, Slooves, Wilson, Langan, Boyle, Wardrope, Boyd, McAvoy, Gillies

Subs – Glasgow, Smith, Urquhart, Armstrong, Abed, Kennedy, Henry (gk)

Beith Juniors – Stott, Dunne, Noble, Rough, O’Neil, Wilson, Monti, Frize, Diver, Scullion, Mason

Subs – Findlay, Hughes, McWilliams, Docherty, Monk, Lind, Walker (gk)