Report

TALBOT MAKE IT “ROVER AND OUT”

Report: Murray Steele, Pictures: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn.

Talbot advanced into the 2^nd round of the Scottish cup at the expense of former SPL club Albion Rovers – claiming a 2-1 win at Cliftonhill on an afternoon when the Bot should have won by a more convincing margin.

The hosts were guilty of slack defending in the 3^rd minute. Schoneville volleyed the ball forward and Reid’s attempted header back was short forcing Connelly to race out his area to clear.

The game then entered a stalemate with neither side offering any real threat in the final third.

Rovers had a good chance to take the lead in the 14^th minute. A ball down the right found Mendy inside the area and when he squared it across goal Schoneville sliced it clear. It came out to Scullion on the left who cut inside onto his right foot and whipped a cross cum shot over which McMahon met a few yards out but sent his free header sailing over the bar.

In the 17^th minute Armour hoisted it down the right where Boyd won the header on. It came to Gillies who helped it on into the path of Nimmo who lofted a shot just over the bar from 16 yards.

The opener came in the 26^th minute. Wardrope whipped over a good cross from the right that the Rovers defence headed behind for a corner. When Wardrope’s in swinging corner came into the near post the defence failed to clear – heading it straight up into the air – and as it came down McPherson directed a header at goal that came off the right hand post. ALEX NIMMO was first to react and prodded it home from close range.

The home side tried for an immediate response but McMahon’s low drive from 25 yards flew well wide of target.

In the 33^rd minute Kerr became the first player in the book. It looked like a foul to Talbot seconds before but the ref waved play on and Kerr dived in and caught McMahon late.

Albion Rovers next attack saw the ball played out wide left to find Scullion and he drilled a dangerous ball across the face of the 6-yard box that was cleared.

In the 37^th minute Boyd made it to the bye line down the left and pulled it back toward Nimmo. With his back to goal he turned and got his shot away but it was blocked by a defender.

A minute later Nimmo got free down the right and won a corner when his cut back was bundled behind off a defender. Wardrope’s deep corner was headed back into the centre by McPherson but there were no Bot players in attendance and the defence cleared easily.

Five minutes before the break McPherson headed the ball on into the path of Nimmo. He released it wide right to find Boyd racing into the area but he was caught in two minds and ended up flashing a ball across the face of goal that ended up neither a shot nor cross that drifted wide of target.

Down the other end McMahon whipped over a good cross from the right which Wilson headed clear.

The home side ended the half on the front foot but couldn’t find a way past Talbot’s defence with the Bot going in a goal ahead.

Talbot started the 2^nd half well and had a half chance in the 48^th minute. Gillies hooked the ball out wide right to find Sime and he in turn played it on to Boyd inside the penalty area but he didn’t make a clean connection and it bobbled through to the keeper.

The Bot ought to have doubled their lead in the 54^th minute. McPherson chipped it up into the area where Talbot had a penalty shout as the defender vaulted over Wardrope sending him to the turf. Nothing was given and Nimmo latched onto the loose ball and cut it back to Boyd who completely mishit it from 8 yards out in front of goal – sending it well wide of target.

A minute later Talbot threatened again. Gillies got in behind down the left and drilled it low into the near post where it was blocked by Connelly.

In the 61^st minute Langan had his name taken for a shirt tug.

Rovers now made a double substitution with Brown & Scullion making way for Paton & Kirkpatrick.

Talbot made their first changes in the 64^th minute with Smith & Boyle on for Nimmo & Langan.

In the 65^th minute Rovers won a free kick out wide on the left. Kennedy lifted a good ball into the area where Wilson managed to head it clear.

The home side now made another change with Kennedy making way for McCaw.

In the 69^th minute Talbot doubled their lead assisted by hesitant defending from the home side. The Bot won a free kick out on the left for a foul on Boyd. Wardrope flighted it into the area where it was headed clear. It came out to Boyle who lifted it back into the box where following a bout of headie tennis the ball came into the 6 yard area. Wilson made a nuisance of himself preventing the defence from clearing and the ball broke to CONNOR BOYD 8 yards out and he lashed it into the roof of the net.

There was no response from the home side with Talbot looking comfortable in their lead.

In the 74^th minute Rovers made another double substitution with Reid and Mendy being replaced by McMillan & Ross.

Two minutes later the home side’s Duncan received a caution for a shirt pull on Smith.

Ten minutes from time McAvoy came on for Boyle up top for Talbot.

In the 82^nd minute there was a slight hold up due to a problem with the Rovers goal. Talbot had successfully defended a corner and countered through Smith forcing a corner down the right. Kerr tried to whip it inside the near post put it into the side-netting which came away with a couple of Rovers players having to conduct a repair on the nets before play could resume.

Talbot were looking the likelier to score and in the 87^th minute McPherson carried it out from the back and lifted a good ball across towards McAvoy who was just beaten to it by Connelly who raced out his area to head it clear.

Having been on easy street Talbot fans were left fretful late on when Rovers pulled a goal back in the 88^th minute. They nearly scored when McMillan met a hanging cross from the right and headed it back across goal only for Schoneville to clear off the line. The ball came outside the Bot area where it was squared across to FERNIE on the right and he gave Armour no chance with a low drive that flew across goal and went in off the right hand post.

As the game headed into added time Talbot had a gilt edged chance to put the game beyond doubt. A ball up the right found McAvoy in behind and he did well to hold off Home before cutting it back to Smith just outside the 6-yard area. His first attempt was blocked by a defender straight back to him and he looked a cert to score but volleyed it way over the bar.

The ref kept Talbot waiting adding a good 5 minutes of added time but Rovers never threatened the Bot goal and Talbot saw the game out to book their place in today’s draw.

A well-deserved win for the Bot who will be hoping for a home draw later this afternoon. Next up for Talbot they are back on the road and back in cup action as they travel through to the east end of Glasgow to face Vale of Clyde in the West.

Albion Rovers – Connelly, Fernie, Lavery, Reid, Home, Kennedy, McMahon, Duncan, Scullion, Brown, Mendy

Subs – McMillan, Kirkpatrick, McCaw, Mackintosh, Ross, Tran, Walker (gk)

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Kerr, Schoneville, Wilson, Langan, Gillies, Sime, Boyd, Nimmo, Wardrope

Subs – Thomson, McAvoy, Boyle, Smith, Walker, Miller, Slooves, Hanlon, Cameron (gk)