Report

TALBOT FAIL TO BEAT THE DRUM

Report: Murray Steele, Photo’s: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn.

Talbot remain unbeaten but had to settle for a point after a hard fought draw away at Drumchapel

The Bot made the perfect start, taking the lead with a top quality finish in the 7^th minute. McPherson knocked the ball in from the right & Clark squared it into the path of MICHAEL WARDROPE who curled a peach of a shot inside the right post from 20 yards.

A minute later Talbot won a free kick out wide on the left following a handball that saw a Drumchapel defender cautioned but failed to make the most of the set piece.

In the 11^th minute McNiff received a yellow card for a late challenge on Schoneville with Talbot winning another free kick out on the left. This time Wardrope whipped over a quality delivery that the defence did well to head clear. It came out to Boyle whose low strike was heading on target but was blocked en route by a defender.

Drumchapel hadn’t offered much going forward but won a corner in the 16^th minute which was hit into the danger zone but headed clear by Boyd.

passed up a good chance to double their lead in the 23^rd minute. Wardrope threaded a pass through the defence to find Boyd in space inside the area. He had more time than he realised and snatched at his shot – pulling it across goal and wide of target.

In the 31^st minute Boyle lifted the ball down the right to find Boyd and he fed it out to McAvoy on the touchline. He angled over a dangerous cross but there were no takers in the centre.

Two minutes later Drumchapel won a free kick in a good area – just wide of the Talbot penalty area. Moore lifted it beyond the far post where it was knocked clear.

Down the other end Boyle won the ball in the Drumchapel half and knocked it out wide left to Gillies. His ball across was deflected behind for a corner. When Wardrope’s corner came in the defence couldn’t clear their lines with the ball bouncing around the 6-yard area before finally going behind for a goal kick.

Three minutes before the break Boyd was harshly penalised for what looked like winning a 50/50 just outside the box. He played on after the whistle and sent a lob just wide for which he received a caution.

In the last action of the half Wilson played it into the feet of Boyd who cut in off the right and dragged a left foot shot wide of target with Talbot heading in a goal ahead at the break.

The first chance of the 2^nd period went Talbot’s way after 49 minutes. Schoneville hoisted an up and under up to the edge of the penalty box where Boyd managed to lay it off wide left to Gillies whose powerful drive was saved by Scullion.

Fifty minutes in Clark picked up a yellow card for a challenge in midfield.

Talbot’s next effort came in the 53^rd minute when Boyd cut inside off the right and curled a left foot shot off target.

A minute later Gillies swept over a good cross from the left touchline that a Drumchapel defender headed back toward his own goal – nearly putting it past his own keeper.

Talbot were looking comfortable but that all changed in the 57^th minute. Slooves knocked the ball back to Armour who pinged it out to the feet of Wilson. He dallied on it too long allowing Idris to nip in and steal it. He burst forward into the area before sliding a reverse pass to MOORE who slotted it low past Armour to level the score.

The goal energised the home side and they threatened again within a minute. A long diagonal found Biabi down the left and he pulled it back to Idris who teed it up for Moore to hit but his low drive was blocked.

In the 63^rd minute Schoneville picked up a caution when he conceded a free kick out on the touchline.

Talbot had a let off in the 65^th minute. The ball was laid right into the path of Idris 16 yards out but fortunately he blazed it high over the bar.

Sixty-seven minutes in Talbot made a double change with McAvoy & Clark making way for Smith & Langan.

In the 72^nd minute Schoneville burst up the wing before knocking it inside to find Langan. He tried to play it back into Schoneville who’d continued his run but it was a touch too heavy.

Two minutes later Talbot won a free kick just outside the penalty area when Wardrope was caught. With everyone anticipating a cross Wardrope went for goal and forced a good stop from Scullion who dived low to his left to keep it out.

With 12 minutes remaining Drumchapel made a double change with Templeton & McCoist coming on.

Templeton almost made an immediate impact when he jinked inside off the left and cracked a shot off the underside of the bar that Armour gathered.

Ten minutes from time Templeton was allowed a bit too much room outside the penalty area and he drilled a powerful shot on target that was pushed wide by Armour.

Talbot now made another double switch with Gillies & Wardrope making way for Abed & Sime.

Having survived Drumchapel’s purple patch Talbot ended the game on the front foot. Schoneville’s ball up the left found Abed pacing in behind the defence and his cut back into the centre just went behind Smith. The defence could only clear it out as far as Langan who was caught resulting in a free kick 20 yards out. Schoneville laid it square for Boyle to hit but he fired it high and wide of goal.

A minute from time Schoneville played it into the feet of Smith on the left of the box. He turned and got a shot away but a defender deflected it and landed harmlessly in the arms of the keeper.

In added time Schoneville played a ball into the box that came off a defender’s head to Smith at the edge of the area. He went for the first time volley which cannoned off a defender and behind for a corner on the left. Langan delivered it into the centre where the defence failed to clear it. It broke to Sime in space 15 yards out but he leant back as he hit it and his shot sailed way over and the game finished all square.

Next up for Talbot it’s a trip through to East Lothian where they face Haddington Athletic in the senior cup.

Drumchapel United – Scullion, McLaren, McIntyre, McNiff, Mills, Nicoll, Orr, Hopkirk, Moore, Idris, Biabi

Subs – Wilde, Templeton, Narbesla, McGarvey, Mackenzie, Marks, McCoist

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Schoneville, Slooves, Wilson, Boyle, Wardrope, Gillies, Boyd, McAvoy, Clark

Subs – Abed, Smith, Sime, Langan, Kerr, Walker, Cameron