Report

A poor start to the game cost them dearly but there were promising signs shown in the second half which was largely dominated by the home side.

Steven Crawford gave away a cheap free kick on the edge of the box in the second minute of the game.

Mark Shankland stepped up and curled a free kick over the wall towards the top right hand corner of the net but it was slightly over-hit and the ball came crashing off the top of the crossbar.

Just a minute later and Talbot took the lead courtesy of a penalty. Talbot played the ball long over the top of the Cumnock defence, who were looking for offside. Darren Johnstone came rushing off his line and collided with Graham Wilson and the referee immediately pointed to the spot, brandishing Johnstone with a yellow card for his troubles.

Gordon Pope waited on Johnstone to commit himself before striking the ball down the centre of the goal.

Cumnock’s first chance of the game came in the seventh minute. Josh Watt struck a shot from the edge of the box which went whistling past the right hand post.

Talbot then doubled their lead in the 15th minute. Crawford failed to block a cross from the right hand side by Willie Boyd which found Brian Young at the back post who headed past Johnstone.

Craig Napier found himself pointing to the spot for the second time, on the half-hour mark, due to an off the ball foul on Young.

This time Shankland stepped up but his penalty was saved by Johnstone, low to his right hand side.

Cumnock were dealt a blow a minute from half-time when Paul Quinn was stretchered off.

Nock’ gaffer John McKeown recognised the need for changes and didn’t hang about at half-time, bringing on Owen Ronald for Ray Montgomerie and Nicky Moore for the injured Paul Quinn at the restart.

Ronald immediately had a positive impact, winning a free kick at the edge of the box on the 47th minute, for which Pope was booked.

Ronald cut the free kick back to Watt who decided to take a touch instead of striking first time and the chance was lost as Talbot quickly closed him down.

Paul Murphy went close to grabbing a goal back for Cumnock in the 48th minute. Ronald picked out Murphy from a free kick who’s header brushed the post on its way out for a goal kick.

Andy Leishman produced what could be the save of the season in the 61st minute. Paul Burns struck a half volley from the edge of the box which looked to be going in to the top left hand corner of the net but somehow Leishman managed to get across his goal to tip the ball behind for a corner.

Talbot scored their third much against the run of play in the 80th minute when Young scored his second.

His effort can only be described as a mishit cross, from the left hand side, which he sliced over Johnstone and into the back of the net.

Watt found Leishman on top form once again in the 83rd minute, when he struck a close range shot towards the near post which produced an excellent reaction save from the keeper.

However Cumnock managed to finally beat the inform Leishman from the resulting corner.

Ronald swung in a dangerous cross which was won by Murphy and his header was hooked into the net by Aiden Malone.

Kieren Wood went close in the 90th minute which would have given Talbot a nervy final few minutes. Ronald whipped in yet another dangerous ball towards the back post which Wood came within an inch of connecting with.

Cumnock started the game slowly but the signs from the second half were promising and point towards a very successful season and a way back into the top league.

Cumnock — Johnstone; Lundie, Crawford, Wood, Murphy, Esplin, Montgomerie, Burns, McNeil, Quinn, Watt. Subs — Moore, Lynsey, Malone, Downs, Ronald.

Auchinleck Talbot — Leishman; Latta, Pope, Lyle, Miller, White, Young, Hyslop, Shankland, Wilson, Boyd. Subs — Walls, Findlay, Gillies, Wilson, McGoldrick.