Talbot turned in their best display of the season, making light work of seeing off Jeanfield Swifts to advance into the 4th round of the South Challenge cup.

The Bot started strongly, winning a corner in the 3rd minute after Nimmo’s shot at goal was blocked and then ricocheted behind off a Swifts defender.

Fergus was fortunate not to end up in the book in the 10th minute for a blatant obstruction but the ref contented himself with a stern lecture.

Swifts, wearing a dayglo shirt that would be visible through thick fog, made a slow start and didn’t threaten until the 11th minute when a good ball out wide right released their winger who fired a good early ball across goal that Schoneville cleared.

A minute later Talbot were nearly in down the right. McPherson’s ball found Nimmo inside the penalty are but he was just offside.

In the 16th minute the visitors won a free kick 35 yards from goal. Yates took it and drilled a good low effort wide of the right post.

Talbot’s next attack saw Wardrope drive a cross over from the right which Boyd headed toward goal but into the face of a stiff breeze and it ended up floating into the hands of Swinton.

The Bot had another header on target in the 20th minute. Wardrope’s corner from the right was cleared straight back out to him and his 2nd cross went over to the far post where McPherson headed it down on target where it was held by Swinton

The opening goal came in the 22nd minute. Swifts were anything but, dallying on the ball at the edge of their own area where Boyle managed to nick in and dispossess Fergus. The ball ran through to CONNOR BOYD who gave the keeper no chance from 15 yards – burying it inside the left post.

In the 25th minute Talbot doubled their lead. Langan found Boyd down the left and he slipped it wide to find Gillies whose low drive was turned behind by the keeper. When Wardrope’s corner came into the near post AIDEN WILSON met it to glance a header beyond the keeper.

The Bot’s next attack saw Gillies race forward, despite an attempt to haul him back, with the ref allowing play to continue. He fired a dangerous ball across goal where Whitehead slid it behind for the corner. The ref then booked a Swifts player for the earlier shirt tug.

With half an hour gone Nimmo nearly added to Talbot’s lead. His low angled drive from the left of the area was well stopped by Swinton whose outstretched leg put it over the bar.

In the 32nd minute Campbell of the visitors picked up their 2nd yellow card of the afternoon for a late challenge on Boyle.

Five minutes before the interval Swifts had a let off. Nimmo drilled a dangerous low ball across from the right of the area that hit off Yates and nearly went in for an own goal but flew just off target. When the corner came over McPherson won it at the back post but his header was safely gathered by the keeper.

In the 43rd minute Wilson chipped a good ball over the defence that nearly picked out Nimmo in behind but it just skipped away from him.

The visitors had knocked the ball around well, inside their own half, without offering any threat but did give Talbot a scare a minute before the interval. Campbell cut in off the left and drilled a powerful shot at goal that Armour spilled but the defence reacted quickly and got to the rebound first to clear with Talbot going in 2 up at the break.

Five minutes into the 2nd period Swifts made a change with Dodd coming on for Hamilton.

In the 51st minute Campbell won Swifts a corner down the left when his cross was blocked behind. When the in swinging corner came over Armour punched it clear.

Action then switched to the other end where Nimmo rattled a shot off the underside of the bar but it wouldn’t have counted as the assistant’s flag went up for offside.

In the 54th minute Nimmo was unlucky not to grab Talbot’s 3rd. His shot from 18 yards came off the right hand post and hit the keeper who knew little about it as it flew behind for the corner. When the corner came over Swinton punched it clear under pressure. McPherson gathered on the right of the box and drilled it low across where it was blocked by a defender. It came out to Langan who teed it up for Boyle but he scooped his shot well over from the edge of the area.

On the hour mark Nimmo got onto a ball down the right and fired into the side-netting from a tight angle.

A minute later Talbot had another half chance. A corner from the right was only cleared out as far as Boyle who fed it to Boyd. It was switched out wide right and when the cross came over it fell for Nimmo who fired wide of target.

The visitors now made a double change with Brown & Sutherland making way for Davies & Keast.

Talbot were unfortunate not to be out of sight and could have found their lead halved in the 66th minute when Swifts came close. Philp met it on the half-volley 19 yards out and Armour did well to tip his shot over the crossbar. When the corner came over Talbot could only clear it out to the dee where Dodd’s low drive was blocked away.

Talbot now made a triple change with Wardrope, Nimmo & Boyd being replaced by Thomson, McAvoy & Smith.

Twenty mins from time Smith won Talbot a corner down the left. When Thomson’s corner came in Swinton could only punch it clear and it was gathered on the right by Smith. His chipped cross just cleared McAvoy’s head and was gathered at the 2nd attempt by the keeper.

Two mins later Talbot broke out of defence with Thomson releasing McAvoy who burst through the centre before firing a shot wide of the left post.

Swifts now made further changes with Fergus and Campbell being replaced by Urquhart and Struthers.

In the 78th minute Boyle was caught late as he shoved it right to find Langan in space 20 yards out. Langan’s shot was blocked but the ref pulled it back for the earlier foul. Boyle took the free kick and hammered a low shot on target that Swinton shoved around his left post.

In the 80th minute Thomson won a corner down the right. Schoneville lifted it beyond the back post where McPherson floated a header back across that the keeper just managed to tip away.

Seven mins from time Clark came on for Langan and within two minutes he was up-ended by Whitehead who received a booking for his challenge.

In the 87th minute Talbot finally managed to make the game safe with a 3rd goal. Clark played it into the area where Gillies was sent crashing by Mollinson. The ref pointed to the spot and EWAN THOMSON drilled the penalty low inside the right post to make it 3-0.

In the closing minute of the match Abed came on for McPherson but had no time to make any impact before the ref’s whistle saved the players from enduring any more of the rain.

A good win for Talbot who now have a spare week before facing up to Broxburn in the senior cup at Beechwood.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Schoneville, Kerr, Wilson, Langan, Gillies, Boyle, Boyd, Nimmo, Wardrope

Subs – McAvoy, Smith, Clark, Thomson, Abed, Miller, Cameron (gk)

Jeanfield Swifts – Swinton, Mollinson, Whitehead, Brown, Hamilton, Fergus, Yates, Sutherland, Philp, McMurchie, Campbell

Subs – Davies, Keast, Struthers, Dodd, Arnold, Urquhart, Cullerton