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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot maintained their place at the pinnacle of the table after overpowering a stuffy Cumbernauld side.

The first goal threat of the afternoon came in the 5^th minute when Hyslop met a corner from the left but glanced it well wide of target.

Three minutes later Cumbernauld won a free kick in a dangerous area just wide of the Bot penalty area. McCabe’s ball down the left was chased by Gormley & McPherson attempted to shield it out for the goal kick; however the forward managed to nick it & McPherson sent him tumbling. O’Hare floated it to the back post where Leishman gathered it in.

Cumbernauld’s keeper was called into action in the 11^th minute when Glasgow latched onto a head flick from Hyslop. He let fly from 25 yards & McGee turned his shot over the crossbar.

The Bot had another chance in the 16^th minute. Lyle’s ball up the right found Glasgow who turned McHaffie before dinking a cross into the centre which was met by Samson but he couldn’t get any power behind his header.

Talbot’s good spell continued with the Bot’s next chance coming in the 20^th minute. Healy found Samson down the left & he whipped a cross into the centre that just eluded Glasgow. The ball came out to Mason on the right of the area & he took a touch before firing a half volley on target that McGee tipped over the bar.

McMahon was first into the book when the full-back was cautioned for a late challenge on Glasgow in the 32^nd minute.

Talbot kept probing & tested the visiting defence from a set piece in the 36^th minute when Mason’s corner from the right was driven into the near post where White was just beaten to it.

The half ended with Talbot on the front foot but unable to break down the Cumbernauld defence and teams went in goal less at the interval.

The 2^nd half continued where the first had left off with Talbot doing the pressing and the visitors content to sit in and play for the draw but that all changed in the 55^th minute when Talbot’s pressure paid off and they took the lead.

Healy got to the ball on the bye line down the right & angled a cross back to the near post where DWAYNE HYSLOP powered a header off the underside of the bar that bounced well behind the line before being hooked clear.

Just shy of the hour mark Talbot had a chance to double their advantage. Hyslop rose to nod the ball on into the path of Mason who scurried forward before drilling a shot wide of the right hand post.

In the 63^rd minute McDevitt received a yellow card after he lost out to Samson & hauled him back just wide of the penalty area. Glasgow took the free kick & slid it back into the path of Mason whose shot was blocked. It came back out to Mason & he slipped a pass through to Glasgow who lifted it into the near post where Cameron put it behind for the corner.

Cumbernauld made a change in the 66^th minute with Henderson coming on for Neil.

The Bot had a glorious chance to move further ahead in the 69^th minute. McPherson flighted a ball down the centre that skipped past McDevitt leaving Samson in one on one with the keeper but the keeper came out on top.

Henderson became the 3^rd United player in the book when he was cautioned in the 70^th minute for a hefty challenge on Hyslop on the left. Talbot took the free kick quickly releasing Wilson into the area. His low ball across the face was cut out but came straight back to him & AIDEN WILSON lashed it into the far corner from a tight angle to put Talbot 2 ahead.

Cumbernauld’s discipline was crumbling & Hannaway had his name taken for dissent. United now made their 2^nd change with McPherson making way for Sinclair.

In Talbot’s next attack they won a free kick out wide on the left, before it could be taken Tucker made a change with Shankland coming on for Mason. Shankland’s first involvement was floating the free kick onto the head of Samson who glanced his header over the bar.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot had another chance. Once again a ball down the centre deceived the visiting defence with the bounce of the ball beating McDevitt and finding Samson running through on goal; however Cameron reacted quickly to get across & make a timely challenge to put it behind for the corner.

It was one-way traffic and Talbot had a couple of decent openings within a minute. Firstly Shankland played a free kick back into the path of Boyd who fired wide of the left post from the edge of the area and then in Talbot’s next attack Glasgow got free on the left and cut it back to Healy in space at the back post. He tried to place it only to see his shot blocked by Cameron.

The goal was coming though and Talbot grabbed their 3^rd of the afternoon in the 78^th minute. Shankland lifted a cross over from the right beyond the far post where DWAYNE HYSLOP guided a header past McGee. The keeper clawed the ball out but it didn’t take VAR to see that it had crossed the line and Talbot moved 3-0 ahead.

Tucker now made a further change with Robbie McCracken coming on to replace Boyd.

Cumbernauld had offered precious little going forward and when they did have a chance at a consolation they squandered it. Lyle slipped allowing Sinclair onto it & he raced into the area before squaring it for Hannoway who fired a weak effort on target that Leishman blocked.

Glasgow picked up a caution in the 81^st minute when he went down under Cameron’s challenge with the referee deciding he’d made the most of it.

Talbot made their final change with 5 minutes remaining when Craig McCracken replaced McPherson.

As the game moved into stoppage time Talbot had one final chance. Shankland’s corner from the right was cleared straight back out to him & he whipped in a cross that Glasgow met only to see his header well saved by McGee.

A frustrating 1^st half for Talbot but the team stepped it up a gear to run out comfortable winners. Next up for Talbot it is derby day as the Bot make the short journey along the road to face Cumnock at Townhead.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Wilson, McPherson, White, Boyd, Healy, Hyslop, Samson, Mason, Glasgow

Subs – Shankland, Robbie McCracken, Boylan, Craig McCracken, Pope, Dumigan, Hewitt (gk)

Cumbernauld United – McGee, McMahon, McCabe, Cameron, McDevitt, McHaffie, McPherson, Neil, Gormley, Hannaway, O’Hare

Subs – Henderson, Sideserf, Sinclair, Zok, Wilson (gk)