Report

Talbot ended their competitive fixtures of 2016 on a high note with a valuable away win at Troon.
Troon made the stronger start but squandered a couple of good chances in the opening spell, which they were to rue later on.
The home side should’ve gone one ahead within 2 minutes. A simple ball up the right found Robertson running clear inside the Bot area & he squared it across goal. Moore only had to sweep it home but completely mishit it.
Talbot’s first attack came in the 5th minute. Collins failed to cut out a ball down the right & Milliken raced onto it & whipped a great cross over which Barbour had to turn behind with Shankland waiting to pounce; though Talbot could make nothing of the resultant corner.
Two minutes later McCracken did well out on the left, first winning the ball & then floating a diagonal cross over which Hyslop just failed to connect with in the centre.
Troon very nearly took the lead in the 14th minute. Brown chipped a ball over the Bot defence to send Nisbet through on goal. Leishman was quickly off his line to make the block but the ball cannoned off McGoldrick & looked to be heading in for an own goal until McGoldrick raced back to clear it from the goal mouth.
Two minutes later Troon missed their 2nd sitter. Muir whipped a low cross in from the right which Leishman failed to cut out. Robertson met it in front of goal but somehow managed to steer his header well wide of the left post.
Junior football wouldn’t be complete without puzzling ref decisions & the man in the middle got it wrong in the 20th minute when he booked McGoldrick for winning the ball cleanly.
The opening goal came in the 25th minute. Graham Wilson skipped past the challenge of Collins & raced down the left only to be impeded by Barbour. Shankland took the free kick & curled it perfectly to the far post where BOYLE climbed to head home from close range.
The game’s 1st substitution came before the game could re-start, with Forsyth on for Robertson for the hosts.
The longer the half went the more comfortable Talbot looked with Troon offering little threat. The home side had a flurry of pressure in the closing minutes of the half but without testing Leishman.
Troon opened the 2nd half brightly with Nisbet’s speculative effort forcing a save out of Leishman soon after the re-start but this proved a false dawn.
Graham Wilson came close to putting Talbot two ahead in the 52nd minute. He surged down the left, riding a couple of challenges before racing into the box & firing just over the bar.
A minute later, the game turned decisively in Talbot’s favour. Milliken raced onto a pass in behind the defence & as he went to break into the area was wrestled down by McKnight. The ref sent Troon’s centre half off for denying a goal scoring opportunity & awarded Talbot a free kick on the dee at the edge of the box. SHANKLAND took it & as he’s done so often this season he rocketed a beauty of a shot beyond the wall & past the despairing dive of Semple to put Talbot 2-0 ahead.
Troon made their 2nd change just before the hour mark when Maley came on in place of Brown.
McCracken almost extended Talbot’s lead in the 62nd minute when he turned Brown inside the box before firing over the bar.
The game was wrapped up in the 66th minute when Talbot grabbed their third. White slid the ball out to GRAHAM WILSON on the left & he showed a cool head, cutting inside past Brown & slotting it past Semple.
Within a minute it ought to have been four nil. The Troon defence were posted missing when a ball found Milliken free on the right & he drew Semple before squaring it across for Shankland who hoisted the bar over the bar.
Tucker made a triple substitution in the 68th minute with Shankland, White, & Graham Wilson making way for Pooler, Stevenson & Steven Wilson.
Troon did well to keep their heads up & battling but the game was long lost & Talbot looked well in control.
In the 82 minute Troon made their final change when Curragh replaced Muir & the sub squandered a good chance to grab a consolation two minutes from time. A ball in from the left found him free in the area but he hesitated just a fraction & when he went to hit it Boyle put enough pressure on him to force the mistake and he slid it past the right post.
This was a very good away win for Talbot and puts the Bot within touching distance of the league leaders. Here’s hoping for a good start to 2017 for Talbot and all their supporters.

Troon – Semple, Barbour, Brown, McKnight, Collins, Chatham, Muir, Armstrong, Nisbet, Robertson, Moore
Subs – Curragh, Forsyth, Maley, Fraser

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Harvey, McGoldrick, Boyle, McCracken, Hyslop, White, Shankland, G Wilson, Milliken
Subs – S Wilson, Stevenson, Pooler, McPherson, Latta