Report

Photographs by Paul Flynn.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot shone in the sunshine as they swept past Carluke into the last 4 of the West; racking up six goals along the way.
This tally looked unlikely in the opening exchanges as both sides struggled to find any pattern to their play with the ball being lumped up & down the park to no effect.
There had been little to report on until Talbot took the lead in the 10th minute. The Bot won a free kick out on the right that was knocked short to Waite. He whipped a good early cross over where Kemp powered a header on target. Brown made the save but GRAHAM WILSON followed up to knock in the rebound.
Four minutes later Talbot had a half chance to add to their lead. Waite made for the bye line before cutting it back into the path of Lyle but he hoisted his shot well over the bar.
Play now grew increasingly scrappy, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope. In the 23rd min Chiedu launched a howitzer of a throw into the centre of the Bot goalmouth. The ball broke to Lafferty 15 yards out but he slid his shot a few yards wide of Leishman’s left post.
A few minutes later Lafferty had another opportunity. McPherson’s clearance came to him just outside the area & he drilled a low shot past the left post.
Talbot were having a ropy spell but Carluke lacked the cutting edge to take advantage.
In the 36th minute McAllister picked up the game’s 1st caution for a late tackle on Kemp on the half-way line.
There had been a goalmouth action but Talbot tested the visiting keeper in the 39th minute. Kemp got on the ball out on the left touchline & hooked it inside to find Wilson racing into the area. He shot on target but Brown parried it away.
A minute later though Talbot got the crucial 2nd goal. White let fly from the edge of the area & although Brown dived low to make the save he was helpless to prevent GRAHAM WILSON tucking away the rebound.
In the 42nd minute Talbot added a third. McDowall surged through the centre before releasing it to his right to find DAVID WAITE & he slotted a low shot back across goal & under Brown to give Talbot a 3-0 lead to take in at the interval.
Talbot started the 2nd half positively and the pressure resulted in a booking for Lindsay who impeded Graham Wilson after the Bot striker had robbed him of the ball.
It had been all Talbot since the re-start but a moment of sloppiness almost cost the Bot in the 52nd minute. Armstrong lost the ball just outside his own penalty box & Carluke worked the ball to Lafferty on the right of the box who fired a shot on goal that Leishman blocked at his near post.
Both sides now made a double substitution. Tucker bringing McIlroy & Glasgow on for Graham Wilson & White and then the visitors replaced Biggart & Weir with McDonald & Mitchell.
Talbot put together a slick move on the hour mark. McDowall turned his man out on the touchline before passing it on to Kemp. They played a one-two that ended with McDowall teeing it up for Kemp who fired a shot across goal & just past Brown’s left post.
Carluke now made their final change with Lambie on for Grierson.
McKenna became the 3rd Carluke player in the book soon after for a blatant body-check on McDowall just wide of the box. Waite took the set piece & floated it beyond the far post where Kemp fired it back across goal. The defence cleared it but only out to Armstrong who blazed a shot just wide of the right post from 20 yards.
Brown produced a great reaction save to deny Talbot a further goal in the 64th minute. Pope hit a long diagonal free kick to find McDowall out on the right. He hit it 1st time across goal where McIlroy side-footed it on target only for Brown to block with his feet.
Talbot made their final change in the 66th minute when Samson came on for Kemp and it didn’t take the sub long to make his mark.
With 68 mins gone it was 4-0 to Talbot. Armstrong played it down the right for McIlroy & he hit an early ball inside to find KEIR SAMSON pacing away from the defence into the box where he rounded Brown before slotting it into the empty net.
The Bot’s next chance came when Waite sent it out left to find Samson’s run. He hit the bye line before cutting it back to 6 yards out where McDowall volleyed it over the bar.
McDowall had a good chance to add to Talbot’s lead with quarter of an hour remaining. Leishman launched the ball up the park where Samson headed the ball on to McIlroy on the left. He held off the challenge of Chiedu & slotted it back to Samson who released a pass to find McDowall in space on the left of the area but he pulled his shot across goal and wide of the left post.
Brown came to the visitors rescue in the 79th minute with another fine stop to deny McIlroy. Samson headed Leishman’s ball down into McIlroy’s path & he looked favourite to score but again Brown saved McIlroy’s low drive with his feet. The ball came out to Waite 25 yards from goal & he powered a shot on target that the keeper parried away.
Carluke’s keeper was doing well, despite the score line, and he was in action again in the 80th minute. Armstrong went on a mazy run inside the box before firing on target from 8 yards but Brown was equal to it. The rebound came out to Samson whose low drive was heading for target until blocked by a defender.
Eventually, the pressure told and Talbot grabbed their 5th in the 83rd minute. Samson attempted to wind his way through the defence down the left and the ball broke back out to Waite. His shot was blocked but fell nicely for JACK MCDOWALL on the left of the area & he curled it away into the opposite corner.
With 3 minutes remaining Talbot completed the scoring. Chiedu brought down Samson just inside the area resulting in a booking for the full-back & a penalty to Talbot. GORDON POPE took it & coolly sent the keeper the wrong way to make the final score 6-0 to Talbot.
A good win for Talbot and a welcome confidence boost going into a league double header at Beechwood where Talbot face Kilbirnie and then Hurlford in the coming week.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, White, Waite, Graham Wilson, Kemp, McDowall
Subs – McIlroy, Glasgow, Samson, Stephen Wilson, Hyslop

Carluke Rovers – Brown, Chiedu, Watson, Lindsay, McAllister, Weir, Biggart, Grierson, Lafferty, McKenna, Kane
Subs – McDonald, Lambie, Mitchell, Neill