Report

DEADLOCK AT BEECHWOOD

Report: Murray Steele, Photo’s Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn.

Talbot paid the penalty for failing to take their chances and had to settle for a point a piece after a frustrating night at Beechwood.

Beith were the first to settle and threatened in the 2nd minute when the ball was squared out to Lovering on the left wing. He got wide of McPherson and drilled it across goal where Armour smothered it at the near post.

A minute later the visitors won a free kick 30 yards out on the right. Monti whipped it in but Slooves headed it to safety.

Talbot’s first attack came in the 4th minute. A ball over the top found Gillies on the left of the area but he snatched at his shot and fired it across goal and well wide.

Two minutes later Gillies fired over a good cross from the left which Stott claimed under pressure from McAvoy.

Moments later Talbot came close to taking the lead. Schoneville’s ball in behind found Boyd on the left of the box. He rolled it back into the path of Wardrope whose powerful drive from 15 yards was turned round the right post by Stott.

In the 9th minute a long ball up the centre caused the Bot defence problems. Slooves was deceived by the bounce of the ball allowing Stuart to nip in behind him but he was crowded out and the defence managed to clear.

Beith spurned a decent chance in the 11th minute. Docherty gathered down the right and sent it back to Frize. His cross into the centre was met by Scullion who steered a free header well wide of goal.

The game was being played at a frantic pace with play switching from end to end without either keeper being asked any questions at this stage.

Eighteen mins in McAvoy & Boyd combined well down the right with Boyd’s final pass to McAvoy just a touch too heavy allowing Stott to race off his line to smother it.

A minute later Talbot won a free kick just wide right of the Beith box for handball. Wardrope knocked in a good delivery that forced Stuart to head over his own crossbar.

In the 20th minute Gillies floated a cross over beyond the far post that was met by Wardrope. He chipped it back across goal where McAvoy met it, but under pressure, he could only glance his header wide of the right post.

Langan received what looked to be a harsh yellow card when he was penalised for a coming together after 25 mins. The ref awarded Beith the free kick 30 yards which Monti fired on target. It flew straight at Armour who couldn’t hold it but when Beith’s forward went for the rebound the assistant’s flag went up for offside.

Talbot came close to fluking the lead in the 31st minute. A ball into the Beith box was cleared but came out to Wilson who got to the ball first midway in Beith’s half and his up & under dropped just over the crossbar onto the roof of the net.

Scullion had his name taken in the 37th minute for a shirt tug on Langan as he broke forward.

Two mins later Beith won a free kick down the right when Slooves caught Stuart. Monti crossed it into the area where McPherson headed it clear. Talbot now broke swiftly through Clark who was taken down late by Frize – resulting in a booking for Beith’s captain.

In the closing minute of the half Talbot won a free kick midway in the Beith half for a foul on Wardrope. Langan took it and angled a great ball beyond the far post to pick out McAvoy who steered it low across the face of goal but no one gambled on it and the ball sped wide for a goal kick and the half ended goalless.

Both sides made a change at the start of the 2nd half with Boyle on for Langan for Talbot and Noble replacing Findlay for the visitors.

The Bot started the 2nd half positively and had a half chance in the 48th minute. McAvoy gathered deep on the right and played it back to McPherson who pinged over a dangerous cross that Gillies nodded wide of the left post under pressure.

A minute later Schoneville charged down the wing and won a corner out on the left. Wardrope swung it over to the back post where it fell for McAvoy but he blazed his shot off target from close range.

In the 51st minute Wardrope tried his luck from distance with a snapshot from 30 yards. It hit off Boyd who reacted quickly to control it and drill a shot on target which Stott turned round his left hand post.

When Wardrope’s corner came over McPherson lost his marker but sent his header over the bar from a good area.

Beith’s first chance of the 2nd period came in the 52nd minute. Docherty attempted a lob from a tight angle but was challenged as he went to hit it and it went behind for a corner. When the corner came over from the left Talbot cleared it & launched a swift counter through Wardrope. He threaded it through toward Gillies on the left of the box who beat Stott to it and when the keeper caught him the ref pointed to the spot. Boyd took the spot kick and went the right way – getting down low to his left to make the save.

Beith now made a double change with Frize & Scullion making way for Brown & Lewis.

Talbot’s next attack saw the Bot win a free kick out on the right. Wardrope swept a good ball into the heart of the box which was well defended.

Sometimes it’s just not your day, and the Bot fans were getting that feeling when the Beith goal led a charmed life on the hour mark. Clark pulled it back from the right to McAvoy in front of goal but he couldn’t get his shot away on a crowded 6-yard line. It broke to Boyd who saw his shot blocked by a defender and came out to Boyle who drilled a low shot on target that was cleared off the line.

Two minutes later Talbot had another good chance. Schoneville did well out wide before sliding a low ball across the face of goal where Boyd took a fresh air swipe at it near the back post.

In the 66th minute Schoneville’s rushed clearance fell to Stuart on the right and he squared it inside to Docherty who had the ball nicked off him as he went to hit it.

Talbot’s next attack saw McAvoy feed the ball inside off the right to find Clark. He carried it into the area but stumbled as he went to hit it.

In the 73rd minute Talbot came within a whisker of taking the lead. McAvoy latched onto a long ball over the defence and from the left of the area hammered it back across goal on the half-volley. Stott managed to get something on it and his shot came off the base of the bar and Talbot were penalised when going for the rebound.

A minute later Talbot conceded a needless corner due to a breakdown in communication. Noble’s ball up the left had too much on it and was heading straight out for a goal kick but Wilson sliced it behind when trying to clear. When the corner came over Lovering got his head to it but it sailed over.

In the 78th minute Beith made a further change with Malcolm on in place of Docherty.

With 10 mins to go Talbot made a triple change with Clark, Wardrope & McAvoy making way for Sime, Abed & Smith.

Abed was unlucky just after coming on when he slipped a pass through that released Boyd in behind the defence down the left that fell foul of a dubious offside call.

Three minutes from time Rough received a caution for a barge on Smith out on the right. Schoneville took the set piece and swung it into the centre where Stott came off his line to punch clear.

Deep into added time Talbot had a late scare. A shy from the left wasn’t cleared and it broke to Brown whose low drive from 15 yards produced a good stop from Armour low to his left.

There was time for one further caution when Malcolm was booked for a late challenge on Schoneville before the ref signalled the end.

A frustrating night for Talbot who will feel that they ought to have claimed all 3 points. Next up it’s back to Beechwood on Saturday when Talbot host Hutchison Vale in the South Challenge cup.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Schoneville, Slooves, Wilson, Langan, Wardrope, Gillies, Boyd, McAvoy, Clark

Subs –  Smith, Abed, Kerr, Boyle, Sime, Armstrong, Cameron (gk)

Beith – Stott, Findlay, Lovering, Little, Rough, Dunne, Monti, Frize, Docherty, Scullion, Stuart

Subs – Noble, Emordi, Brown, Lewis, Malcolm, O’Donnell, McLellan (gk)