Report

Photographs by Paul Flynn.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot recovered well from a false start to breeze past Banks O Dee in the senior Scottish cup.

The home support were shocked in the 6th minute when the visitors took the lead. Harvey shanked a pass across the width of the park which HENDERSON intercepted before racing away from McPherson & slotting the ball past Leishman.

The Bot shrugged off this setback and were back on level terms within a minute. Stephen Wilson played it square to CALVIN KEMP outside the penalty area & he drilled a shot inside Shearer’s right post to make it 1-1.

Within a minute Talbot had a chance to take the lead. Kemp slipped the ball through to White on the right side of the area but his effort was well blocked by Shearer.

Talbot continued to press & carved out another chance in the 11th minute.

Lyle lifted the ball up the right to Kemp & he slid a pass through to McDowall on the wing. He hammered it low across the face of goal where it hit off Graham Wilson & flew over the bar.

Binnie received the 1st card of the afternoon after twenty minutes for a late challenge on Lyle.

Shortly after, Graham Wilson picked up a ridiculous caution when the referee penalised him for shielding the ball.

The action continued to flow towards the visitors goal & Talbot came very close to taking the lead in the 32nd minute. Stephen Wilson was fouled just outside the penalty area & Shankland lifted the free kick across goal where Stephen Wilson glanced a header toward goal. It hit off a defender & fell to Harvey whose shot from 6 yards was deflected behind for a corner. When the corner was swung beyond the far post McDowall met it to head it back across goal but the defence were able to scramble it clear.

Finally Talbot’s pressure paid off as they took the lead in the 38th minute. McDowall lifted in a dangerous cross from the right that Shankland slid in to meet at the back post. Shearer did well to keep out his effort but the rebound came to GRAHAM WILSON & he drilled it home to put Talbot 2-1 ahead.

A single goal lead is always precarious and despite Talbot’s dominance the sides could have went in all square at the interval. In the final action of the 1st half Banks o Dee broke swiftly down the right & forced a corner. Talbot failed to clear it at the 1st attempt & when Binnie knocked it to the far side of the 6-yard area Henderson had a chance to grab his 2nd of the afternoon but he was leaning back as he hit it & his shot went straight to Leishman.

Talbot started the 2nd half as though they meant business and only a superb stop from Shearer prevented Kemp from extending Talbot’s lead within a minute of the re-start. Shankland lifted the ball over the defence to find Kemp in space on the left & his lob was heading into the roof of the net until Shearer flicked out an arm to turn it over the bar.

The goal was only delayed though. When the corner came over the defence failed to clear it & Pope lifted it to the far side of the area where MARK SHANKLAND fired it low inside the left post to put Talbot 3-1 ahead.

The goal boosted Talbot & demoralised the visitors. It was now all Talbot and the Bot nearly added another in the 53rd minute. Shankland flighted the ball over the defence to find Kemp on the left & his right foot volley flew just wide of the post.

A few minutes later Shearer prevented Talbot from extending their lead. White got away down the right & when he cut it back across the area it fell to Shankland whose low drive was blocked by the feet of the keeper. The ball rebounded out to Kemp & he drilled it wide of target.

The visitors decided to freshen it up and made two changes in quick succession, firstly Shrive coming on for Winton & then Watt on for Binnie.

In the 68th minute they were forced to make their final change. Macleod clattered into Leishman when challenging for a cross & came off 2nd best, having to leave the field to be replaced by Buchanan.

Tucker now made a double substitution up top with Kemp & Graham Wilson making way for McIlroy and Glasgow.

Glasgow was barely on the park when he had a decent chance. He held off the challenge of Allan inside the box but fired his shot straight at the keeper.

Glasgow had another opportunity in the 74th minute. McDowall burst through the centre before releasing it out left to find Glasgow breaking into the area where his shot was parried away by Shearer.

Talbot made their final change in the 78th minute with Hyslop on for Stephen Wilson.

The sub made a quick impact, carrying the ball forward before sliding it through to Glasgow on the left. He went for the lob & was very unlucky to see it sail just wide of the far post with the keeper beaten.

Banks O Dee had been on the back foot for the most part but did produce a dangerous attack in the 84th minute. Buchanan gathered on the left & played a defence splitting ball in behind the defence trying to find the run of Henderson. However, Leishman read the danger & was quickly off his line to beat him to it.

Talbot had a late chance to add a fourth in the 86th minute. McIlroy squared the ball across the face of goal where Hyslop flicked it over the bar from close range.

Talbot could have won by a few more but got the job done after a shaky start. Next up, it is back to midweek cup duty when Talbot face old rivals Cumnock in the Ardagh.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvey, McPherson, S Wilson, McDowall, White, G Wilson, Kemp, Shankland

Subs – Glasgow, McIlroy, Hyslop, Armstrong, Waite, McCracken, Hewitt (gk)

Banks o Dee – Shearer, Gilmour, White, Allan, Duguid, Winton, Henderson, Hamilton, Macleod, Philipson, Binnie

Subs – Buchanan, Shrive, Watt, Sahalevitis (gk)