Report

Talbot lost out on penalties to Bonnyrigg in the inaugural Pro-turfcare trophy at Beechwood.
Technically a friendly, there was certainly no love lost in an unruly 1st half which kept the referee on his toes. The game was only 5 minutes old when Bonnyrigg’s Turner was cautioned for persistent fouling and Nelson had his name taken in the 13th minute for a late challenge on Faulds.

Next in the book was Talbot’s Lyle when he dived in with studs showing.
The 1st chance of the match came in the 18th minute when Weir lifted a great ball down the right to find Glasgow racing free down the right side of the area. He chipped it for the far corner but Andrews made a good stop; tipping it over the bar.

Bonnyrigg were persuaded into a change in the 26th minute. Nelson, already on a booking, got himself involved again & after a brief word from the ref, Bonnyrigg subbed him, with Currie on in his place.
The visitors had a half chance in the 32nd minute when Talbot failed to clear their lines after a shy. The ball came out to McConnell, 18 yards out, and he drilled a shot just over the crossbar.

Kemp became the 4th recipient of a yellow card when he was penalised for a reckless challenge in the 36th minute.
Bonnyrigg had the ball in the net in the 37th minute when Hoskins tapped home after Leishman saved Jamieson’s glancing header but it was chalked off for offside.
A minute later Andrews was at full stretch to touch Hyslop’s low drive around his left post. Talbot could make nothing of the corner and the remainder of the half tamely fizzled out.
Similarly to last week Talbot made multiple changes at the interval. Off went Armstrong, Lyle, Faulds, Latta & Kemp & on came White, Pope, Stephen Wilson, Thomson & Pooler.

It was Bonnyrigg who settled quicker after the interval & the visitors took the lead in the 49th minute. They won a free kick 25 yards out which CURRIE lifted over the wall. Leishman got across to it but the ball squirmed out his grasp & crept over the line.
Bonnyrigg made their 2nd change in the 55th minute with McIntosh coming on for McConnell.
A minute later Talbot came close to levelling. Leishman bowled it out to Pope who flighted it down the left to find Shankland inside the area. He controlled it, stepped inside past Horne, and spotting Andrews off his line chipped it for goal only to see his effort sail narrowly over the bar.

Tucker now made a further change with Whyte coming on for Weir & Bonnyrigg also made a switch with Moyes on for Hoskins.
Just after the hour mark Rose made another change with Brett replacing Kidd.
Bonnyrigg nearly doubled their lead in the 68th minute. Currie whipped a free kick over to the far post where Thomson headed it clear. However, it went straight to a Rose player who crossed it into the centre where Jamieson glanced a header on target which Leishman saved to his left.

Talbot weren’t looking like scoring but then out of the blue Bonnyrigg conceded a cheap penalty for handball when a corner came in from the right. STEPHEN WILSON took it & hammered it low inside the right post to draw Talbot level after 75 minutes.
With 8 minutes to go Talbot had another shout for a penalty. Pooler squared it inside to Shankland who appeared to be shoved over as he went to hit it but the ref waved play on.

Bonnyrigg made their final change with 4 minutes remaining when Watson came on for Jamieson.
Talbot had a chance to win it right at the death when they won a free kick out on the right. Shankland delivered it into the box & it was cleared straight back to him. This time he slid it across the box to find Hyslop in space down the left but he curled his shot wide of the left post from a good position, and so it went to penalties.

Brown put Bonnyrigg one ahead before Shankland levelled for Talbot. Leishman then saved Currie’s effort & Glasgow put Talbot 2-1 ahead. Martynuik, Hyslop & Turner all scored but then Stephen Wilson ballooned his effort over the bar. It was now effectively sudden death & Moyes put Bonnyrigg 4-3 ahead. Pope then sent the keeper the wrong way to level it.

Both Bonnyrigg’s Young & Pooler for Talbot hammered home to make it 5-5 before Brett restored Bonnyrigg’s lead. Thomson then sent the keeper the wrong way to level at 6-6.
McIntosh put Bonnyrigg 7-6 ahead despite the best efforts of Leishman who guessed correctly & got a hand to his penalty but couldn’t prevent it from crossing the line.
Something had to give & when Whyte skied his penalty it was game over.
Talbot’s pre-season continues when they host Troon on Wednesday night before travelling through to face Bo’ness next Saturday.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Armstrong, Lyle, McPherson, Weir, Faulds, Latta, Hyslop, Glasgow, Shankland, Kemp

Subs – Whyte, White, Thomson, Pope, Pooler, McIlroy, S Wilson, G Wilson, Hewitt

Bonnyrigg Rose – Andrews, Horne, Brown, Young, Kidd, Hoskins, Gray, Turner, Jamieson, Nelson, McConnell

Subs – Moyes, Brett, Martynuik, Currie, McIntosh, Watson, Young (gk)