Report

Photographs by Paul Flynn.

MURRAY’S MATCH REPORT

Talbot turned in a 5 star performance to breeze past Clydebank at Beechwood in this one sided league encounter.
The 1st half chance of the afternoon came Clydebank’s way when a weak headed clearance fell to Lafferty 20 yards out & he drilled a low shot straight at Leishman.
Talbot then put together a good move which ended with Shankland sliding the ball through for Glasgow & Morrison did well to block his shot with his feet.
The Bankies keeper was tested again in the 13th minute. Shankland laid the ball back to Pope & he whipped a fierce low cross over that the keeper dived to punch clear. Fortunately for him, it hit off one of his defenders & ricocheted back to the keeper.
The opening goal came in the 17th minute as Talbot swiftly turned defence into attack. A ball out of defence found G Wilson out on the right & he touched it back to Shankland whose 1st time pass sent him racing clear of the static defence who were trying to play offside. GRAHAM WILSON carried on into the area before sliding it past Morrison to put Talbot one ahead.
Talbot’s next effort at goal came after 24 minutes. Glasgow gathered in the centre before spreading it out to the left to find Faulds. He cut inside on his right foot & fired a low shot on target that Morrison held.
The visitors threatened the Bot goal in the 27th minute when Lafferty sent Deas through on the left edge of the area but Stephen Wilson got back to divert his cross behind for a corner. The corner was hit deep beyond the back post where Verra rose unchallenged to meet it & Leishman had to tip his header over the bar.
A minute later another Talbot counter almost saw the Bot double their lead. Glasgow pursued a ball down the left touchline that Verlaque appeared to have under control. However, the Bankies full-back made the mistake of trying to usher it out for a throw in & Glasgow nicked the ball off him, raced into the area & attempted to pass it beyond Morrison who got down to make the save.
Talbot had a great chance to grab their 2nd in the 35th minute. Stephen Wilson slid the ball out to Glasgow on the right & when he fired it low across the 6-yard area the defence failed to clear & it came to Graham Wilson at the back post who lifted his shot over the bar.
For the most part Talbot were well in control but did have a scare just before the interval. Watt took a corner from the left that the defence cleared but it came straight back out to him. This time he curled a dangerous ball over that Pope managed to clear inside the 6-yard area & Talbot left the field a goal to the good.
The 2nd half was only three minutes old when Talbot moved 2-0 ahead. Glasgow ran onto a ball down the centre & looked to be tumbled inside the area by Verlaque as he went to hit it. Play went on & the ball spun out to GRAHAM WILSON on the right who slammed it past Morrison from a tight angle.
Tucker was forced into a change in the 50th minute with Faulds limping off to be replaced by Thomson.
Paterson had his name taken in the 56th minute. Glasgow beat him for pace just outside the box & he wrestled him to the ground. Shankland took the resultant free kick & angled a ball into the goal mouth where HYSLOP beat Gow to it to power a header home from close range.
Clydebank made a double switch in the 59th minute with Pearson on for Verlaque & Miller replacing the injured Lafferty.
Tucker made his 2nd change of the afternoon shortly after with Kemp coming on for Glasgow & Clydebank completed their changes in the 68th minute when Allan replaced Shelvey.
It looked like Graham Wilson was on for a hat-trick in the 70th minute when Shankland’s defence splitting pass sent him clean through on the keeper but a dubious offside call came to the visitors rescue.
Talbot’s next effort at goal came in the 76th minute. Stephen Wilson squared the ball across for Pope to run onto & he hammered a shot wide of the right post.
Tucker now made Talbot’s final change with McIlroy coming on for Graham Wilson.
Morrison prevented Hyslop from claiming his 2nd of the day in the 78th minute when he managed to tip his left foot drive over the crossbar. Talbot took the corner quickly, playing it back to Shankland who bent in a cross cum shot from the left which Morrison did well to put over the bar.
When the 2nd corner came over it fell to McCracken who did well to create space for a shot only to see his powerful drive blocked by a defender. The ball spun to Hyslop who hit it on the volley but his effort was also blocked by a Bankies defender.
It was no great surprise when Talbot grabbed their fourth in the 83rd minute. Shankland met a ball down the right & coolly flicked it 1st time into the path of SEAN MCILROY who charged into the area, side-stepping Verra’s challenge & nutmegging Gow before lifting it past Morrison from close range.
Unsurprisingly Clydebank’s heads were down & their players started to argue amongst themselves. Johnston then had his name taken when he had a go at the officials.
In the final minute Talbot wrapped up an impressive display with their 5th goal. Kemp’s long diagonal ball found Shankland racing down the left & he ran into the box before unselfishly chipping it over the keeper for MCILROY to knock home from a few yards out.
This was an emphatic win for Talbot, who will no doubt face a much sterner test next week when they travel to brave the Bellsdale slope & a high-flying Beith side.

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvey, McCracken, Stephen Wilson, Hyslop, Faulds, Graham Wilson, Shankland, Glasgow

Subs – McIlroy, Pooler, Kemp, Thomson, White

Clydebank – Morrison, Verlaque, Paterson, Verra, Darroch, Gow, Johnston, Deas, Shelvey, Lafferty, Watt

Subs – Pearson, Black, Allan, Miller, Lumsden (gk)