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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot defied the odds and proved the bookies wrong yet again as the Bot secured a narrow win over high-flying & big spending Cove Rangers to book a place in the 3rd round draw of the senior cup.

Cove started slickly and had Talbot on the back foot with some neat passing. The visitors tested Leishman in the 3rd minute when they worked a short corner on the right. When it was crossed in the Bot defence headed clear but it came to Scully 15 yards out & he volleyed it into the turf. It was heading inside the left post til Leishman dived across to turn it wide.

The Bot’s first glimpse at goal came in the 8th minute. Shankland lifted it up the left where Graham Wilson headed it back toward Shankland who fired well over the bar from 25 yards.

The visitors were dominating possession but had little to show for it other than a few corners which the Bot defence successfully defended.

On the quarter hour mark Talbot tested McKenzie. Armstrong found Shankland on the left of the area & he drilled a low shot on target that McKenzie blocked with his legs at his right hand post.

Fyvie was impressing for Cove & he dinked a dangerous ball down the centre that McCracken did well to intercept & head it back to Leishman.

In the 26th minute Fyvie popped up on the right & fired a dangerous ball across the face of goal that sped behind for what everyone in the ground thought was a goal kick but the referee pointed for a corner. When the corner came over it was cleared out to Scully who blazed a wild shot over.

Talbot nearly got in on the half hour mark. Hyslop slid a well-weighted pass up the right toward Samson but Milne did well to slide in to intercept it.

The Bot had a good shout for an indirect free in the Cove box when Samson got the better of Milne and cut a low ball across the box. A defender knocked it back to the keeper who picked it up but the ref waved away Talbot’s appeals.

Cove stretched the Bot defence in the 38th minute. Smith whipped a cross over from the right that found Scully racing in on the left of the area but before he could get a shot away Lyle got across to knock it behind for the corner.

When the corner came over Leishman took it & launched it down the centre straight into the opposition box. Graham Wilson challenged McKenzie in the air & the keeper failed to claim it; however the loose ball didn’t fall for Samson & the defence were able to clear.

Scott squandered a golden chance to give Cove the lead in the 40th minute. Smith’s cross found him unmarked in front of goal but he steered his header over the bar.

Two minutes later Cove won a free kick 25 yards out for a foul on Megginson. Higgins took it but blasted his shot straight into the wall.

Talbot ended the half on the front foot, winning a free kick out on the left when Graham Wilson was shoved over. Shankland curled it into the box where Ross headed it clear. It came to Pope on the right & he fired it into the centre where McKenzie spilled it but was able to clutch onto it at the 2nd attempt and so the sides went in level at the break.

The opening effort of the 2nd half came in the 48th minute. Scully tried his luck from 35 yards out, striking it well enough, but it flew straight at Leishman.

Two minutes later Talbot nearly paid for slack play when they lost the ball deep in their own half. Aird fired over an early cross & Smith glanced a header just wide of Leishman’s left post.

Down the other end Talbot had a half chance when Pope’s ball found Graham Wilson on the left of the area. He hit it 1st time but saw his volley deflected behind for the corner. Shankland hit the corner deep where it was retrieved beyond the back post by Samson. He knocked it back across goal where Pope met it to hook a shot over the bar.

In the 52nd minute Cove passed up a decent chance to take the lead. Megginson gathered out on the right & cut it back to find Aird running onto it in the centre of the area but he passed it wide of Leishman’s left hand post.

Stephen Wilson became the first name in the ref’s notebook when he was cautioned for clipping the heels of Megginson as he burst forward.

In the 56th minute Graham Wilson lifted a good early ball down the right to find Samson racing clear on the right side of the box but he blazed over from a tight angle.

A minute later Fyvie received a caution when he tripped Stephen Wilson resulting in a Bot free kick 25 yards out. Shankland whipped it over the wall but it didn’t dip in time & flew just over the bar.

In the 61st minute the action switched from end to end. Smith flicked the ball out right to release Megginson and he delivered a good cross that forced Leishman to dive to punch it away. Talbot now launched a swift counter through Stephen Wilson who raced forward before sliding it right to Samson. He played a great ball across the goal mouth but Graham Wilson just couldn’t reach it at the back post.

Cove gave Talbot a helping hand soon after. They had a shy midway inside their own half which they threw straight into the feet of Shankland. He duly accepted the gift & surged forward & passed it to Armstrong who released it out right to Samson. He cut it back across goal but it sped just behind Graham Wilson & Shankland in the centre.

The home support loudly appealed for a free kick in the 64th minute when a free kick from Talbot’s half was flighted up toward Hyslop who was nudged in the back just outside the area but the ref gave nothing.

Cove made the first change in the 69th minute when Masson came on in place of Smith.

McPherson came to Talbot’s aid in the 71st minute when Aird’s cross from the right eluded Leishman but McPherson headed it clear at the back post.

A minute later Scott came as close as Cove were to come to breaking the deadlock. He turned just inside the box & lobbed it for goal & his shot clipped the top of the bar on its way over.

Tucker made his first change in the 73rd minute with Glasgow coming on for Shankland.

Cove’s next attack saw them win a corner on the right which Fyvie took short to find Masson. He tried to curl it on target but his effort sailed over the bar.
Talbot won a free kick 35 yards from goal when Masson shoved Hyslop in the back & Pope hit it but suffice to say it wasn’t one of his better efforts and flew well over the bar.

Tucker now made a double switch with Healy & Boylan replacing Stephen Wilson & Samson.

With five minutes remaining Pope went from distance only to see his shot loop over the bar off the head of Yule. Glasgow took the corner & aimed for Hyslop beyond the back post but there was too much on it & although he got a touch it skidded off the top of his head & behind for the goal kick.

Just when it looked as though we were heading for a replay Talbot grabbed a late winner. Graham Wilson latched onto a ball down the right channel, holding off his man, before laying it wide to Boylan. He carried it forward before floating over a cross that DWAYNE HYSLOP bulleted beyond the keeper, sparking wild celebrations amongst the crowd.

Cove now piled bodies forward and Talbot had one last anxious moment deep in injury time. Milne raced down the left before back-heeling it into the path of Higgins who swung over a dangerous cross that Leishman touched away. It came to Glasgow who headed it out toward Aird who controlled it with his arm to take the pressure off.

The referee kept the Bot fans waiting, finding 4 minutes of injury time from somewhere but when the whistle finally sounded the celebrations began in earnest.

A hard fought win for the Bot who now return to their defence of the Scottish Junior cup next Saturday when they face Forfar West End at Beechwood.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Hyslop, Stephen Wilson, Graham Wilson, Samson, Shankland

Subs – Glasgow, Boylan, Healy, Young, McDowall, White, Hewitt

Cove Rangers – McKenzie, Milne, Scully, Ross, Yule, Megginson, Scott, Higgins, Aird, Smith, Fyvie

Subs – Masson, Redford, Redman, Brown, Robertson, Demus

Read more: http://auchinlecktalbotfc.proboards.com/thread/8656/auchinleck-talbot-1-cove-rangers#ixzz63m1AzSh9