Report

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot saw their lead at the top of the table narrowed as they were held to a 1-1 draw in this midweek encounter with Beith.

Talbot started promisingly and stretched the Beith defence in the 2^nd minute. Glasgow fed it out to Healy on the right & his ball into the near post had to be turned behind by Gray.

The first half was short on goal mouth incident of any kind and Beith’s best effort came in the 7^th minute when they won a free kick 35 yards out. Hepburn’s shot deflected off the top of the wall & spun straight to McLean whose header had to be tipped over by Leishman.

The Bot had left their shooting boots in the dressing room; failing to test Burgess on those occasions when they had a sight of goal. Shankland squared it into the path of Healy 22 yards out and he blazed over and shortly after Shankland shot well wide from outside the area.

With chances in short supply, Talbot’s closest call of the 1^st half came in the 31^st minute. A Shankland free kick was played into the area where it was headed clear. It came back out to Shankland who clipped it over the defence to find McDowall running in behind down the right. He lobbed it over Burgess but his shot nestled on top of the net.

A defensive error by Beith gave Talbot a chance in the 38^th minute. McMahon headed it back toward his own box where it skipped past McGoldrick. Samson raced onto it & knocked it wide of the advancing Burgess but took too heavy a touch and couldn’t retrieve it and the half meandered to a close with neither side offering any further threat to the opposing box.

The 2^nd half started in similar vein with little happening at the sharp end though this changed in the 55^th minute when the visitors took the lead. A ball over the defence found Fowler on the left of the penalty area & he took it round Leishman but not fancying the tight angle opted to cross it to the far post where it just eluded Watt. Talbot managed to bundle it behind for the corner and when the corner came over McPherson headed it behind. Unfortunately, the Bot defence then went to sleep & were caught cold when Beith took the corner quickly; rolling it back to Hepburn whose shot took a deflection & looped toward the back post where FOWLER met it to power a header home.

This was to be Fowler’s last involvement in the match as he was subbed soon after with McKay coming on in his place.

Talbot made a double substitution in the 65^th minute with Shankland & McDowall making way for Mason & Hyslop.

The two subs were involved almost immediately; Mason holding the ball up down the left before teeing it up for Wilson whose inch perfect cross was met in the centre by Hyslop but untypically he glanced a free header wide of the left post.

Talbot drew level in the 69^th minute. McKay was booked for obstructing Lyle as he burst forward; resulting in a free kick just outside the area. Mason lifted it beyond the far post where Hyslop met it to head it back across goal & JAMIE GLASGOW ran onto it to volley home.

McGoldrick was next in the book when he was cautioned in the 71^st minute for clipping Glasgow’s heels midway inside the Beith half. Armstrong took the set piece & floated it out to the left where Hyslop again rose to head it across goal. This time it came to Healy but his header went straight at Burgess.

Beith hadn’t done much since taking the lead but they did have a half chance in the 72^nd minute. McLean pounced on an error by Lyle & shot from 18 yards but his shot went straight at Leishman.

Talbot won another set piece in a good area in the 74^th minute following a foul on Lyle. Armstrong swung a good cross over but everyone had darted to the near post & it sailed behind.

At the other end Beith came close in the 76^th minute. Hepburn won a free kick out on the left that he crossed into the area. It was headed out but only as far as McKay who met it on the volley 16 yards out. His shot clipped the top of the bar, without seeming to go near any Bot players, but the ref awarded the corner kick.

Both sides had a go in the 79^th minute; firstly Armstrong playing a one-two with Lyle that ended with Lyle on the right of the area trying to square it to find Samson but it was cut out & Beith swiftly countered with McLean gathering on the left before switching play out to the opposite wing to find McKay. He raced into the area but his ball into the near post was smothered by Leishman.

Talbot had another chance to test Beith from a set piece in the 83^rd minute following a foul on Glasgow. Mason took it & fired it low into the area where it broke to White. He couldn’t get a shot away but the ball fell to Glasgow who lobbed it over the bar from a tight angle.

The Bot were finishing strongly and had another chance in the 86^th minute. Armstrong surged forward before releasing the ball down the right to find Samson who turned his man inside the area & drilled a shot on target that Burgess parried away.

As the game moved into injury time Talbot had one last chance to snatch the win. Armstrong fed the ball up the right to Glasgow who beat his man before hitting a great cross to the back post where Hyslop just failed to connect with it.

Next up for Talbot it is a break from league duties as they face Montrose Roselea at Beechwood in the opening round of the Scottish Junior cup.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Wilson, McPherson, White, Armstrong, Healy, McDowall, Samson, Glasgow, Shankland

Subs – Robbie McCracken, Mason, Boyd, Hyslop, Hewitt

Beith – Burgess, Gray, Noble, McGoldrick, Docherty, Park, Watt, McMahon, McLean, Fowler, Hepburn

Subs – Duffy, McKay, Hood, Shield, Young, Winning