Report

Talbot took the points in an easier win than the scoreline suggested, scoring a goal at the beginning of each half which deflated the composure of the home side. The die was cast as early as the 4th minute when Talbot were awarded an indirect free kick inside the box, where Boylan rolled the ball a few inches to Wardrope who swept the ball over the heads of the home defenders and into the roof of the net.

With relegation staring them in the face it was all credit to Arthurlie who took the game to Talbot but although they chipped away at the Talbot defence they never put Leishman under any real pressure. They did have a golden chance when Scott blootered the ball up the park where Bilham flicked the ball over the Talbot defence into the path of Carroll but he hurried his shot which went well wide of the goal. 

Moving nearer to half time Talbot doubled their lead when a free kick was swung into the box, but a headed clearance landed at the feet of Smith who forced Scott to block his shot where Park was first to react, hammering his shot low into the net.

Talbot replaced the struggling Boylan with Samson minutes into the second half and before he had hardly found his bearing Taylor had put Talbot 3-0 in the lead when he swept a Smith pass past Scott.

With the damage done the foot was taken off the peddle, as the ball swept from half to half with no real football being played on the bobbly surface although Talbot did fashion a couple of chances that were squandered. Half way through the second half Talbot were dealt a blow when McPherson was seen to be struggling and he was later on of the players involved in a treble substitution.

As per normal the change of personnel took a lot of the momentum out of the match, and with the gloaming starting to descend the referee put an end to proceedings.

TALBOT: Leishman, Crawford, A.Wilson. McPherson, (McCracken), Stafford, Park, (Lennox), Boyle, Wardrobe, Boylan, (Samson), Smith,(Ballantyne) Taylor. SUBS:NOT USED: Armstrong, Shankland. 

Arthurlie: Scott, McGhee, McNeil, Bradley, Kerr, Roulston, Leyden, Billham, Carroll, Simeon, Smith. SUBS: McLaughlan, Nolan, Strain, Miller, Warnock, Jeanes, McLaughlan