U19’s – Valspar 4 Auchinleck Talbot 0
Talbot met Valspar at the new Ayr Academy astro, in perfect conditions for football. The game started evenly and both teams had chances to take the lead. It was a very even match with both teams passing the ball well around a perfect surface. Valspar took the lead after 30 minutes when a free kick into the box eventually found its way to a Valspar player, who stroked the ball home, 1-0 Valspar. Within 4 minutes, Talbot conceded a soft penalty, which was superbly saved by Rooney but the rebound was smashed home for 2-0. Into the second half and Talbot brought on an extra forward and had taken the upper hand in the game until a stupid red card reduced them to 10 men on 60 minutes. Valspar added a third from a long range shot, and then a mixup at the back resulted in a 4th.
2003 – Auchinleck Talbot 5 Alba United 2
A good team performance to take the points with the boys playing for each other and digging in. Talbot found themselves 1-0 down but replied almost immediately through Zak Smith from distance. Kyle shankland was back on the score sheet with a double and Michael Kane followed suit, the second of which was the pick of the bunch hit from distance and into the top corner. Alba scored a late second from a corner with minutes left. The boys travel to hurlford next week In a top of the table clash. Man of the match was captain Gavin Withers who never put a foot wrong all game.
2006 – The last game of the season for Talbot 2006’s saw Boswell and Tigers take on Stewarton Annick at home. Boswell started slow and were out passed in parts of the first half which saw Stewarton take the lead at half time. The boys were asked to keep their chins up and did so from the off in the second half. As they battered on the door a shot from Lewis McFadyean deflected in to make it level. Better passing by Talbot saw them get a second through Kiain Robbs persistence and with super sub Callum Holmes pouncing on a lose ball to extend their lead, the boys went on to get the result. Final game of the year for Boswell who round off a great winning streak with another battling win. Talbot Tigers also started slow and were pushed around by a tough tackling Stewarton team at the start of this game. It wasn’t long before the boys got into the game and started to play their football although they found themselves going a goal down. They continued to play well and a fantastic run from his own half saw Gavin Kirkland leave the stewarton boys standing to slot home a wonderful individual goal and the honours were even at halftime. Second half started well and we started to control the game but again we conceded a soft goal totally against the run of play. The Talbot boys kept their heads up and battled on to get back into the game. The equalizer came after some fantastic one touch passing through the Stewarton defence and was finished off as Mason McNeillie placed the ball under the keeper to give us a well deserved goal at the end of some brilliant team work. With time running out the boys pushed to get another and with practically the last kick of the ball it broke to Lewis Smith in the box who finished it off to give the Tigers another deserved result.
Real progress in this half of the season and some wonderful football has been played from all our boys. Well done everybody involved in the 2006 team.
2007 – The final game of the year saw Talbot travel to Loudon Academy to play Galston on Saturday morning. Talbot started brightly, using neat passes. They were knocking the ball around well, piling on the pressure. After the deadlock was broken, the boys continued to play very well as a team and scored some really well worked goals. The defending was excellent and the passing out from the back was confident and precise. To a man, everyone played really well and got deserved rewards throughout the match. The progress the boys have made this year has been remarkable. Most weeks, they have produced great performances. The odd below par display creeps in now and then however the consistency will come. They’ve for the most part had an excellent year. Can’t wait to the next one. We’ll done boys.
2008 – After last weeks call off, Talbot Blacks headed away to Ayr Boswell Colts for a tough encounter.
The game started with chances coming and going for both teams. Talbot eventually got off the mark with a well worked move and a tidy finish. Talbot continued to dominate the first half limiting Boswell’s chances and were rewarded for their efforts with more goals and played some good football along the way. Boswell then scored what looked to be a first half consolation goal. So at half time, the boys were reminded that the game wasn’t finished and they had to continue the first half performance.
The second half panned out nothing like the first half. Talbot gave the ball away cheaply, passes weren’t strung together, tackles weren’t put in and didn’t get near working the goalie. Ayr Boswell capitalised on this and we’re forcing us into mistakes, credit has to go to Boswell for getting themselves back into the game when at half time they couldn’t have been blamed if there heads were down.
This weeks special mention goes to Callan Robertson, who scored a first half hat-trick and showed glimpses of what we have been working on in training.
Academy update – The four and five a side had already finished for the year. The seven a side has also now finished. Games will resume in March. Great progress has been made by all our development teams this year. Huge credit must go to all the coaches and officials for their hard work and dedication. Thanks to the parents for turning up in all weathers and supporting the teams. Most of all though, well done to all the kids. They have been excellent throughout the year and have made everyone proud. Next year our 2012 team will start playing fun fours games. Our 2010 team moves to five a side. Our 2009 team begin their seven a side journey. And next summer, our 2006 team make the transition to competitive eleven a side fixtures. Good luck to all.
