Report

LATE SHOW SINKS CUMBERNAULD

Report: Murray Steele, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Ross Newlands.

Talbot made it to the last 16 of the South Challenge cup but did it the hard way seeing off Cumbernauld with a late goal.

The opening spell was high on commitment but low on quality with neither side able to retain possession or threaten in the final third.

The first clear chance came Talbot’s way in the 10^th minute. Gillies fizzed a low ball in off the left which Law pushed out into the path of Abed. He tried to place it back across goal but his shot was blocked by a defender.

A minute later Boyd’s low drive from the left of the area forced a decent stop out of Law who turned it round his right post.

The visitors had rarely visited Talbot’s half but came within a whisker of taking the lead with quarter of an hour gone. Kearney let fly from 30 yards out and Armour did well to get across and tip it onto the crossbar and behind for the corner kick. Once again Talbot were troubled by corners – the first one in off the left wasn’t cleared initially and ended up being knocked behind following a scramble in the 6 yard area. When the 2^nd corner came over beyond the back post it fell to Brodie who volleyed it over the bar.

Talbot came close to the opener in the 20^th minute. Gillies cut the ball back from the left bye line to find Nimmo in the heart of the area and his shot slipped just wide of the left hand post.

In the 24^th minute Nimmo won Talbot a corner down the left. Wardrope caught the defence napping when he passed it in short to find Abed whose curling right foot effort came off the left post and came at Boyd who headed the rebound over.

The game again then became a midfield slog with neither side offering any threat. The next meaningful attack came in the 34^th minute when Brodie whipped in a dangerous cross from the right. Slooves headed it clear but it came out to a Nauld player and a bout of headie tennis ensued before it was finally cleared.

The Bot had a good chance to take the lead in their next attack. Boyd met a ball up the centre and flicked it on into the path of Abed who burst through on the keeper but Law did well to block his shot low to his left and the rebound cannoned back off Abed and behind for the goal kick.

In the 39^th minute Boyd came close when he gathered outside the area and fired just over the bar.

Three minutes from half-time Talbot nearly gifted the visitors an opening out of nothing. There appeared no danger when the ball was pinged up the left for Cunningham to chase. Armour seemed in control of it but tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick allowing Cunningham to keep it in. Fortunately McPherson got back to make the challenge to halt Cunningham’s progress and the ball broke through to Armour.

In the final action of the half Nimmo met a ball up the right and cushioned a header inside to find Boyd in the penalty area but the keeper had read the danger and was quickly off his line to smother at Boyd’s feet and the half ended goal less.

Talbot made a change at the start of the 2^nd half with Langan coming on for Nimmo.

The half got off to a rocky start for Talbot when they were almost caught out within a minute. A ball in behind the defence just eluded Cunningham who couldn’t get a touch on it as it ran through to Armour.

In the 50^th minute Wardrope fed the ball out wide to McPherson whose cross into the near post was met by Boyd who saw his effort deflected wide of the left hand post.

Two minutes later Wilson’s ball up the left came off the top of Whitmore’s head to Boyd on the left of the area. He swung over a good cross which was well cleared by Watt who headed it away in the centre at full stretch.

A good passage of possession in the 58^th minute ended with Talbot winning a corner down the right through Abed. When Wardrope swept it over to the far post McPherson looked certain to score but steered a free header over the bar from 5 yards.

In the 61^st minute the visitors made a change with Hughes replacing Cunningham.

Two minutes later Lafferty had his name taken for a shove on Clark resulting in a Bot free kick 22 yards out. Gillies tapped it square for Wardrope to hit but his shot was charged down.

With 66 mins gone the visitors made a further change with Bowie on for Lafferty.

The first goal looked like it might be the only goal and the visitors nearly nabbed it in the 69^th minute. An accurate diagonal ball found Kearney racing into space down the left and he hit it early with his shot clipping the outside of the right post and behind for the goal kick.

Talbot now made a triple change with McAvoy, Thomson & Schoneville coming on for Abed, Kerr & Wardrope.

In the 71^st minute Gillies whipped in a great cross off the left but there were no takers in the middle and Cumbernauld broke quickly to the other end where Hughes cut in off the left but shot tamely straight at Armour.

The Bot’s next attack saw Schoneville fire a low ball into the area that broke to Sime on the left of the penalty area but he snatched at his shot and pulled it well wide.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot passed up a good chance to take the lead. The ball was played in off the left to find McAvoy who managed to tie up his marker with the ball running through to Sime in a good area. He only had the keeper to beat but his low drive went straight at Law.

In the 81^st minute Talbot squandered another clear chance and the Bot fans were beginning to think it just wasn’t going to go in. Thomson won a corner down the right and when he swept the corner over Slooves met it inside the front post where he glanced a header across goal and wide of the right post.

Cumbernauld now made another change with McClair replacing Mackie.

In the 87^th minute Hogg took one for the team when he received a caution for hauling back McAvoy as he threatened to burst forward.

Just when it looked like the game was heading for extra time Talbot grabbed a late winner. Schoneville did well to wriggle free down the left and pulled it back to find CONNOR BOYD who steered a shot high inside the left post to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

There was still time for a late scare in added time. The impressive Kearney tried his luck with a first time volley from out wide on the left that forced Armour to turn it round the post. The visitors could make nothing of the corner and Talbot had the last attack of the afternoon deep into added time when McAvoy raced down the right and angled a ball across the face of goal which was just out of Boyd’s reach.

Another afternoon where Talbot failed to put away decent chances but a welcome win after a couple of draws on the bounce. Next up for Talbot it’s an away day at Yoker to face in form Clydebank in the league.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Kerr, Slooves, Wilson, Wardrope, Sime, Gillies, Boyd, Nimmo, Abed

Subs – McAvoy, Thomson, Walker, Langan, Boyle, Schoneville, Clark

Cumbernauld United – Law, Whitmore, McLachlan, Watt, Stobie, Hogg, Brodie, Lafferty, Cunningham, Mackie, Kearney

Subs – Hughes, Burns, McClair, Bowie, Brennan, Smith (gk)