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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MATCH REPORT MURRAY STEELE

Talbot kicked off their league campaign with a hard fought draw against Clydebank at a sun drenched Beechwood park.

The visitors settled the quicker of the two sides and managed to force a couple of early corners without offering any threat to Leishman’s goal.

Talbot’s defence were struggling to cope with the breeze and this almost proved costly in the 6^th minute. Donnelly’s long punt down the centre deceived McPherson as it glanced off the top of his head. The ball spun out to Lynass on the right & he hooked a cross come shot in from a tight angle that sped across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

Lynass had another chance a minute later when the Bankies were awarded a free kick 25 yards out but he drilled his shot straight into the wall.

In the 9^th minute Armstrong won the ball in the centre before releasing Boylan down the left. He burst down the wing but was halted by a well-timed tackle from Darroch.

Talbot had a chance to test the Bankies defence in the 16^th minute when they won a free kick following a nudge on Armstrong. Shankland pinged a good ball into the box which Darroch headed clear. His header came out to Boylan on the left of the area but he was stretching as he hit it and could only fire it wide of target.

Two minutes later another Talbot set piece saw Shankland float a free kick over the defence to find the run of Robbie McCracken but it was just too far in front of him & ran out for the goal kick.

The visitors took the lead in the 19^th minute. Talbot lost the ball deep in the Bankies half and Clydebank quickly counter-attacked, switching the ball out to Lynass on the right touchline. He angled it across the area towards Little & MCPHERSON steered it into his own net whilst trying to put it behind for the corner.

Whilst there was plenty of effort from both sides there was a shortage of goal mouth action for the remainder of the 1^st half. Talbot’s closest call coming on the half hour mark when Shankland found Robbie McCracken at the edge of the area and his bobbling shot had to be turned round the right hand post by Donnelly.

Down the other end Gallagher tested Leishman when he cut in off the right and fired a shot for the near post that Leishman turned behind but that was about it as far as chances went and the Bankies saw it out to half-time.

Talbot needed a spark from somewhere and it duly came in the 52^nd minute when the Bot drew level. A ball up the right saw Darroch head it clear but only to the edge of his own penalty area. Black dawdled on the ball as he got it stuck between his feet & KIERAN HEALY dispossessed him before waltzing around Niven & bending a low shot inside Donnelly’s left hand post.

In the 58^th minute Talbot took the lead. Armstrong headed the ball on in midfield & Boylan flicked it on into the path of KEIR SAMSON who paced clear on the right before drilling a shot across the keeper and into the far corner.

Unfortunately, Talbot’s lead proved to be short lived and Clydebank levelled matters in the 61^st minute. Little switched a pass out to the left to find Byrne 30 yards out & he hit an early cross over that caught the Bot defence sleeping with CHRIS BLACK meeting it 8 yards out to direct a free header beyond Leishman.

Talbot looked for an immediate response and Boylan’s lay off saw Samson speeding clear on the right til he was taken out by Byrne who was cautioned. Shankland whipped the free kick into the centre where Donnelly came off his line to punch clear.

Both sides now made their 1^st changes with McPherson coming on for Mulcahy for the visitors and McDowall on for Robbie McCracken for Talbot.

In the 71^st minute Shankland squared the ball to Lyle whose pass sent Boylan scurrying down the right. He crossed it into the centre where Samson’s attempted overhead kick was blocked behind off a defender. Shankland took the resultant corner & his delivery had the Bankies at full stretch to head it clear at the back post. The ball came out to Boylan 15 yards out but he didn’t catch his shot cleanly & it was blocked.

Two minutes later Shankland swung a cross over from the right that Donnelly came to collect but missed but there was no Bot player beyond the back post and it sailed out for a goal kick.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot made a further change with Glasgow on in place of Boylan.

Twelve minutes from time Talbot very nearly regained the lead twice in quick succession. Firstly Samson’s shy from the right cannoned off a defender’s head and looped up and over Donnelly only for it to come back off the face of the crossbar. When it bounced out it fell to Shankland whose low drive was cleared off the line.

It was then Talbot’s turn to endure a nervy moment. The Bot conceded a free kick out wide on the right which was delivered beyond the far post where Niven just failed to connect with it.

With 5 minutes remaining Talbot made their final change with Mason coming on for Samson.

Talbot’s next attack saw Glasgow rob Black of the ball but before he could get going Black sent him tumbling; receiving a yellow card for his troubles.

Two minutes from time McDowall headed the ball on into the path of Mason who charged down the right & fired it across the face of goal but there were no takers in the centre.

Deep into injury time the officials angered the home support when the ref initially awarded a throw in to Talbot only to change his mind & award Clydebank a free kick out on the touchline after consulting his assistant. This was particularly galling as the ref had pointedly over ruled both of his assistants on previous occasions. Clydebank fired the free kick into the centre where Leishman safely gathered it and soon after the whistle blew with honours even.

Next up for Talbot it is a midweek visit to Cumbernauld to face Rob Roy.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, A Wilson, McPherson, C McCracken, Healy, Samson, Armstrong, Boylan, Shankland, R McCracken

Subs – Glasgow, McDowall, Mason, S Wilson, G Wilson, Boyd, Hewitt

Clydebank – Donnelly, Green, Niven, Darroch, Byrne, Johnstone, Lynass, Black, Mulcahy, Little, Gallagher

Subs – Stevenson, McClair, McLean, McHugh, Holmes, McGonigle, McPherson