Report

Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn

FIVE STAR TALBOT CRUSH DARVEL

Talbot followed their impressive six goal fest against Pollok two days earlier by adding another five in yet another dominant display against Darvel.

Darvel made a reasonable start to the match and their early passing and distribution was giving Talbot a few issues in the battle for midfield control, however despite a few promising raids, the home side created little in the way of opportunity.

Talbot’s response was to give Jamie Glasgow freedom to roam as he interchanged between both flanks and through the middle. Gaps suddenly started to appear, and Talbot started to control the match and looked dangerous with every attack.

The first chance came in 15 mins when a neat passing interchange that was started by Slooves at the edge of his own penalty area and involved Gillies, Glasgow, Boyd and Boyle saw the latter release a ball from the halfway line that gave Smith the opportunity to chase and harass the home defence. Goalkeeper Howie looked to have the run covered but spilled the ball and was relieved when Ross’s attempted lob into the empty net was blocked.

A few minutes later, another swift passing interchange between Schoneville & Smith produced a cut back to Glasgow 25 yards from goal, this time coming in from the left. The young Darvel goalkeeper positioned himself well to deny the strike at his right hand post, but again he spilled the ball and was forced to make a further save to deny Luke Gillies’ on target effort.

Talbot had Darvel firmly under the cosh now and a vicious in-swinging Wardrobe corner from the left saw Howie under pressure again as Gillies beat him in the air at his near post, but his glancing header was thwarted as Sideserf kicked the ball off the line.

The goal was only delayed though and Darvel who had managed to find space in the early stages of the match were now struggling to cope with the high Talbot press and when Moore failed to control a forward pass, he was quickly dispossessed by Slooves who prodded to ball forward. Again, the Darvel midfield over dwelt on the ball and Gillies quickly tackled to steal possession. The loose ball was gathered by Smith who constant movement and distribution was causing Darvel no end of problems. Suddenly Talbot swarmed forward and Smith released Gillies on the left edge of the penalty area; this time he elected not to shoot but to direct a pass across the six yard box which was latched on to by JAMIE GLASGOW who gave Talbot a 23^rd minute lead.

Talbot doubled their lead four minutes later. Boyd won possession as he was picked out by a long ball from Schoneville. The striker did well to keep control and was able to regain his footing after being grounded in the dual for the ball. His cross field pass found JAMIE GLASGOW who this time popped up on the right hand side. The Darvel defence backed off as Jamie moved into the penalty area and a nice decoy run from Tariq Abed on the outside gave Jamie space and time to fire a well hit shot across the goalkeeper and into the net.

 

 

 

Talbot continued to dominate. Again, Smith’s movement was  to the fore as he firstly made space before releasing Schoneville on the left, his pace and trickery created space to find Gillies again on the left side of the penalty area. Luke, similar to creating the first goal, sent a dangerous low cross come shot into the six yard area that produced a fingertip save from keeper Howie to deny Wardrope at the back post.

The young goalkeeper denied the visitors a third goal, and Jamie Glasgow a hat-trick when he again produced a fingertip save at full stretch to deny an accurately placed shot that was destined for the bottom left hand corner.

Darvel briefly came into the match just before half time when Moore and Sideserf combined to create space on the right. The cross found O’Halloran who’s excellent first touch set up a half chance which he took on the volley but it sped across the face of the Talbot and the hosts were denied an undeserved lifeline back into the game.

The half ended with Talbot’s dominance again to the fore and despite strikes from Smith & Wardrope (who has recently extended his contract)  the score remained 2-0 in our favour at the break.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any thought of a Darvel comeback was swiftly dispelled as Talbot picked up where they had left off at the start of the second period. Not only were they dominant in possession, they threatened with every attack.

Tariq Abed another top performer found space on the right as Darvel struggled to cope with his pace. Cutting inside, he fashioned a neat one two with the ever available Ross Smith before producing a cut back to find Connor Boyd whose first time volley was destined for the top left hand corner before keeper Howie clawed the ball from under the crossbar and onto the post.

 

 

 

 

 

The third goal was merely delayed though, and it came in the 51^st minute. Again, Ross Smith was full of running, this time directly through the middle. His intended pass to Gillies was blocked but still found its mark. In yet another flowing team move, Gillies found Wardrope on space on the left and he showed great composure before feeding the ball into the area to again find Gillies as he continued his run. The Darvel defence probably thought there was little danger, but a first time back heel found SCOTT SCHONEVILLE whose showed good control before hitting a left foot strike that crept inside the post to give Talbot a well-deserved 3-0 lead.

 

The threats continued as twice in quick succession Talbot opened Darvel up on the right hand side. Firstly, Glasgow found Wardrope in space and his cross into the area looked to have produced a tap in for Gillies until he was prevented by a last gasp clearance.

 

The roles were reversed in the next attack when it was Wardrope’s turn to release Glasgow whose powerful net bound effort produced a magnificent save from keeper Howie high to his left.

 

 

Darvel were chasing shadows by now but to their credit they continued to try to salvage some positives from the game and captain Syme got on the end of a free kick from the left hand side, but his powerful header was high and wide of Glavin’s left hand post.

The respite was short lived however as Talbot added their fourth goal on 67 minutes. Schoneville received possession on the left and level with his own penalty area. He quickly shifted the ball forward to Boyd who found Gillies on the left on the halfway line. The free flowing move continued with Gillies making ground before returning a pass to Boyd inside the penalty area. A quick feint from Boyd gave him the necessary space to reach the bye line before squaring across goal to provide ROSS SMITH with a well-deserved tap in.

Talbot replaced Glasgow, Abed, Smith, Boyle & Wardrope with Lennox, McCracken, Langan, Kennedy & Nimmo. ALEX NIMMO has been plying his trade for most of the season with the Development squad, so it was great to see him being used as a substitute in both tonight’s match and at the weekend against Pollok.

He was soon showing why he was given his chance when he was firstly put through on goal by Boyd only to see his net bound shot kicked off the line. However, his first goal for the senior squad was only delayed when in the 83min he was bundled over in the box and took the resultant penalty kick himself, calmly sending the keeper the wrong way to complete the scoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, Abed, Schoneville, Slooves, McPherson, Boyle, Gillies, Wardrope, Boyd, Smith, Glasgow.

Subs – Henry(GK), Lennox, Langan, Kennedy, Nimmo, McCracken.

 

Darvel – Howie, Baird, Bronsky, O’Halloran, Sideserf, Murphy, Walker, Syme, Aitken, Paterson, J. Moore.

Subs – Leishman, G. Wilson, Hutton, Duncan, R. Cairns, Ronney, Dunlop.