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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot romped to a comfortable win over Benburb at Beechwood with the visitors barely able to muster a threat all afternoon.

The Bot were a little slow to get warmed up but took the lead with a training ground move in the 10^th minute. Shankland switched the ball out right to find Boylan wide and he paced up the wing before pulling it back to GRAHAM WILSON who ran onto it to pass it into the net.

Benburb tried for an early response and they forced a corner in the 13^th minute when Dawson’s shot from 20 yards was deflected wide off McPherson’s head. When the corner came over Docherty got his head to it but couldn’t generate the power to trouble Leishman.

The next goal threat came in the 18^th minute. Shankland was bundled over 22 yards out and Talbot took the free kick quickly catching the Bens defence napping. It was shoved through to Glasgow on the right of the area and he flashed a shot across goal that McLean touched wide.

In the 28^th minute Talbot doubled their lead with the visiting defence posted missing. A free kick was worked out to Glasgow in space on the right and he had the time to float a cross beyond the back post where Craig McCracken rose unchallenged to nod it back across goal for GRAHAM WILSON to tap home from close range.

It was all over bar the shouting in the 34^th minute when Talbot moved three goals clear. Shankland won a corner down the left that he took quickly – pulling it back to find GRAHAM WILSON rushing to meet it and he thumped a shot into the roof of the net to complete his hat-trick.

Talbot were now on easy street and Benburb were unable to offer any real threat to the Talbot defence with McPherson and McCracken in the centre winning all the battles.

On the stroke of halftime Talbot came close to extending their lead. Healy sent a good pass up the left to release Boylan and he swept a cross over that looked destined to be headed home by Shankland in front of goal but Rough did well to stretch & nick the ball away.

The 2^nd half had barely started when Talbot threatened a 4^th goal. Shankland sent a great diagonal pass from midway inside his own half to find Boylan racing clear on the left of the area but McLean did well to block his low drive.

In the 53^rd minute the visiting keeper produced a top class save to deny Shankland. When Boylan whipped a cross in from the right Shankland looked a certainty to score but McLean acrobatically leapt to his left to touch Shankland’s header wide of the left post.

Benburb made a change in the 56^th minute when Dawson made way for McTaggart and a few minutes later Tucker made a double switch with Shankland & Boylan leaving the field to be replaced by Samson & Mason.

Talbot moved 4-0 ahead in the 63^rd minute. Mason picked out Graham Wilson on the left and he returned the ball back inside to AARON MASON who placed a good finish beyond McLean and inside his left post.

Benburb made their 2^nd change in the 68^th minute with Jarvie replacing Aitken and with 72 mins gone Talbot made their final change when McDowall came on for Glasgow and Benburb also completed their changes with Ocholi on for Duncanson.

With 8 minutes remaining Robbie McCracken’s ball down the line found McDowall & he cut into the penalty area but was well-tackled before he could get his shot away; resulting in a Talbot corner. When Mason’s corner came in McDowall met it only to see McLean dive to his left to claw his header away.

There was nothing the Bens keeper could do though to prevent Talbot from grabbing their 5^th of the afternoon in the 83^rd minute. Mason burst into the area & tried to dribble his way through to goal but the defence managed to crowd him out and put it behind for a corner. When the corner came over GRAHAM WILSON ghosted onto it for a free header to grab his 4^th goal of the game.

Talbot kept pushing but Benburb managed to hold out without conceding any further goals as Talbot eased to a win that won’t have done the goal difference any harm.

Next week – weather permitting – Talbot are back on the road and back in cup action as they travel through to Cumbernauld to face Rob Roy in the West of Scotland cup.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Robbie McCracken, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, Healy, Armstrong, Graham Wilson, Boylan, Glasgow, Shankland

Subs – Samson, Mason, Hyslop, Lyle, McDowall, Hewitt

Benburb – McLean, O’Hear, Leadbetter, Rough, Docherty, Dawson, Duncanson, McCrone, McDonald, Livingston, Aitken

Subs – Jarvie, Ocholi, McTaggart, McKenzie, McFarlane