Report

Talbot booked their place in the last 8 of the Scottish to become the 7th West region side to make this season’s quarter-finals.
Tucker had tinkered with the line-up with Butch switching into the centre of midfield and Hyslop and Latta out wide.
The Bot got off to the perfect start when they took the lead after 4 minutes. Talbot won a free kick midway inside Carnoustie’s half for a foul on Hyslop. Pope knocked it down the left where Milliken held it up before feeding it back to Pope. He released Milliken in behind the defence & his ball across the 6-yard box was swept home by HYSLOP at the back post.
Talbot dominated the early exchanges but were caught on the hop in the 9th minute. When Latta’s cross failed to beat the 1st man inside the Panmure box, the home side broke swiftly down the other end where Scott was up-ended just outside the box, resulting in a yellow card for White. However, Carnoustie failed to make anything of the set piece & the ball into the centre was easily cleared.
Young came within a whisker of doubling Talbot’s lead in the 11th minute. Millar headed Pope’s hanging cross behind for a corner on the right. Milliken’s ball in was headed clear but only straight out to Young 20 yards out. He side-stepped a challenge before guiding a left foot shot that beat Cormack, cannoned off the right post back onto the keeper but somehow it didn’t go in.
The next effort at goal also came Talbot’s way. S Wilson raced onto a ball down the left and squared it across to Hyslop who drilled a shot over the bar from 20 yards.
Lyle won a corner down the right in the 23rd minute and this time Pope went across to take it. He whipped a dangerous in swinger into the centre where Buggins headed clear.
McGoldrick joined White in the book in the 25th minute. Carnoustie’s liveliest player, Scott, cut in from the left only for McGoldrick to bring him down just outside the penalty area. Once again though, Carnoustie failed to make anything of the opportunity as McCabe hit a tame effort on target that Leishman easily saved.

Talbot had a slice of luck in the 28th minute & capitalised to the full. Latta’s pass down the right appeared to be over-hit but it came off McGeehan & went behind for the corner. POPE took the corner & bent it to the far post where it flew over Cormack & straight into the net to put Talbot 2-0 ahead.
With a two goal cushion Talbot were content to sit on their lead, with Carnoustie huffing & puffing but carrying no threat in the final third.
The referee came to the home side’s rescue in the 40th minute with a bizarre decision. Milliken nicked the ball past Millar inside the area & was promptly tripped. It was a stonewall penalty but the ref thought it occurred outside the box, booking Millar and awarding Talbot a free kick right on the line. Young swept the free kick low across goal but the runners at the front post just failed to connect & the defence were able to clear.
Carnoustie made a change at the start of the 2nd period with Simpson on for McGeehan.
Talbot had an early opportunity to put the game beyond Carnoustie. Buggins was deceived by the bounce of the ball & beaten to it in the air by S Wilson who headed on into the path of Milliken. He was clear on the right & flashed a powerful drive across goal & just wide of the far post.
The referee had a decision to make in the 51st minute. Milliken hooked the ball over his shoulder to send S Wilson racing through the centre into the box. He appeared to be fouled but the ref turned down the penalty appeal.

down the penalty appeal.
Having denied Talbot one stonewaller & another strong appeal, the referee then awarded Talbot a very soft penalty in the 56th minute. Boyd swept the ball out to the right where S Wilson collided with MacDonald at the junction of the box. It was debatable whether it was a foul or inside the box, but the ref pointed straight to the spot. Pope, normally so reliable from the spot got it wrong for once, hitting a poor penalty which Cormack saved to his right.
Carnoustie made their 2nd switch after 61 minutes with Gray coming on in place of Smith.
Despite the missed penalty, Talbot looked comfortable in their lead with Carnoustie offering little threat.
Talbot put together a good move in the 68th minute. Milliken combined well with S Wilson down the left before racing clear & cutting the back into the area. Latta ran onto it 16 yards out but took a fresh air swipe.
Carnoustie got a toehold back into the game in the 73rd minute. Gray was allowed too much time & space just outside the box and his deflected shot sailed past Leishman to pull a goal back for the home side.
Tucker made a double switch in the 77th minute replacing the front two of S Wilson & Milliken with G Wilson & Shankland.
Roberts had his name taken in the 78th minute for a late challenge.
Both Talbot subs were involved in the 79th minute as Talbot came close to re-gaining their two goal cushion. Boyd fed the ball down the left to G Wilson whose cut back found Shankland inside the area but his shot drifted just wide of Cormack’s left post.
The game had opened up with both sides eagerly searching for the next goal and Carnoustie came close to levelling matters in the 83rd minute. A counter-attack saw Cook racing forward from midfield and he let fly from 25 yards, with Leishman smothering his low shot to his left.
A minute later McDonald tried his luck from distance, firing a long ranger on target that went straight at Leishman.
Talbot then went straight down the other end and put the game to bed. G Wilson’s head flick sent SHANKLAND strolling free of the defence & he coolly slotted the ball past Cormack into the bottom corner to put Talbot back in control.
With two minutes remaining Tucker made his final change with Gillies replacing Young.
Buggins picked up a silly yellow card in the final minute when he kicked the ball away at a Talbot free kick.

Deep into injury time Carnoustie grabbed a late consolation goal. Sloppy defending by Talbot saw them concede a penalty and BLACK sent Leishman the wrong way to pull it back to 3-2.
It was too little, too late though for the hosts and soon after the ref sounded the final whistle to confirm Talbot’s place in the quarter-finals.
Not a classic game by any means, but Talbot did enough to book their passage so job done. Next up for Talbot is a crucial top of the table league clash as Rob Roy visit Beechwood.

Carnoustie – Cormack, MacDonald, McGeehan, Millar, Buggins, Roberts, Cook, Black, McCabe, Smith, Scott

Subs – Simpson, Gray, Craig, McIlravey
Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, White, McGoldrick, Boyd, Young, Latta, Hyslop, Milliken, S Wilson

Subs – G Wilson, Gillies, Shankland, Love, Johnstone

Photographs by Edwin Flynn