Report

SMASH AND GRAB TALBOT BREAK CUMNOCK HEART’S 

Report: Murray Steele, Photo’s Craig McGhee/Madison Taylor, Media: Lee Conn

Talbot never really got going in this derby clash but it was smiles all round at the final whistle as the Bot claimed all 3 points thanks to a last minute winner.

Talbot started sluggishly and there wasn’t much incident in the opening spell. Boyle picked up what looked to be a harsh caution in the 9^th minute for a challenge just inside the Cumnock half.

The first real threat came in the 11^th minute when McCluskey fed it on to the overlapping Ellis whose ball across was well cut out by McPherson.

In the 21^st minute McCluskey beat Gillies on the outside and cut it back toward Conn at the near post but he took a poor 1^st touch and Talbot were able to clear.

Craig had his name taken in the 25^th minute for a body check on Boyle as he looked to carry it forward.

Talbot passed up an opportunity to test the visiting defence in the 31^st minute. Wardrope burst forward on the counter and had Clark free to his right but his attempted pass was cut out.

Down the other end McCluskey found Chalmers just outside the area and he fired his shot well wide of the right post.

Neither goal had been remotely threatened as yet but Gillies did go close in the 33^rd minute when he drilled a shot from 20 yards just past Currie’s right hand post.

Cumnock went long with their next attack, punting it down the centre where Wilson could only head it out as far as Conn who fired it narrowly wide of Armour’s left post.

Wilson of Cumnock became the 3^rd booking of the afternoon when he was penalised for a late challenge on Wardrope.

The first save of the match came in the 38^th minute. Clark sent it out wide right to Wardrope who floated it across goal to find Boyd unmarked. He tried to place it and Currie was able to get down to his right to turn it round the post.

In the closing minute of the half Cumnock had a chance to take the lead. Wilson failed to cut out a long ball down the right and it broke kindly for Chalmers inside the area but he tried to pass it in and Armour was able to turn it round the left post. When the corner came over Brownlie met it but sent his header straight at Armour and the sides went in goal less at the interval.

Talbot made a change during the break with the injured McAvoy being replaced by Smith.

The 2^nd half got off to a false start where Talbot were concerned with Cumnock making the early running. In the 51^st minute Wilson spread it out wide to Watt who cut inside and won a free kick just outside the area when he was caught by Schoneville. McCluskey took the free kick and whipped it across goal where ELLIS powered a header home from close range to give Cumnock the lead.

In the 59^th minute Watt got the better of Clark down the wing before sliding a low ball into the near post that Talbot managed to clear at the expense of a corner.

Sixty-two minutes in and Talbot made a triple substitution with Clark, Wardrope & Boyle making way for Abed, Langan & Sime.

The subs were barely on the park when Talbot drew level. Smith shoved a short ball down the line to find Gillies breaking down the left and he fired a dangerous low ball toward the back post where a Nock defender only succeeded in playing it into the path of CONNOR BOYD who slotted it home to make it 1-1 and was then booked in the aftermath.

The visitors threatened to regain the lead in the 66^th minute. McPherson’s clearance didn’t make any distance and came to Chalmers wide on the left. He angled it across goal where Mackenzie just failed to connect with it and it ran behind for the goal kick.

Two minutes later Cumnock won a free kick out by the right corner flag when Schoneville was penalised for a shove. McCluskey delivered a good ball into the centre where McPherson was quickest to react to head it clear.

In the 73^rd minute Talbot had a let off. Watt wriggled past Schoneville and carried on into the area before playing a dangerous ball across goal which Sime did well to clear.

A minute later Mackenzie got on the end of a shy from the left but glanced his header wide at the near post. Cumnock now made a change with Dykes on for Mackenzie.

With quarter of an hour remaining Smith met it on the half-volley at the edge of the area and his shot deflected behind for the corner. Langan swept it into the centre where the Nock defence had trouble clearing their lines. It came back out left to Langan and he prodded it to Smith whose curling cross was headed clear at the near post.

Talbot now made a further change with Kerr replacing Schoneville.

In the 79^th minute Smith tried his luck from 20 yards but his effort sailed well wide of target.

Cumnock then squandered an opening down the other end when Conn found himself in space wide on the right but hit over a poor cross. This proved to be his last involvement as he made way for Jack.

Seven minutes from time Wilson latched onto Kerr’s attempted clearance and fired for goal from 22 yards but hit it straight at Armour who saved comfortably.

Play then switched to the other end where Abed paced clear down the right and pulled it back across goal but there was no one in the centre.

The game was getting stretched and Cumnock threatened on the counter-attack. The ball was swept out to Chalmers wide on the left who had Dykes free at the back post but his pass was intercepted.

Smith then had a half chance for Talbot on the left of the Nock penalty area but his shot was easily held by Currie at his near post.

Talbot grabbed the winning goal in the 89^th minute. Boyd sent the ball out wide right to Smith and when he cut it back TAREK ABED met it on the half-volley, firing it into the ground and high into the net past the helpless Currie.

The drama wasn’t quite over though and Talbot were nearly punished for indecisive defending when Jack was able to juggle the ball across the penalty area where his final shot was deflected wide for a corner.

Deep into injury time Cumnock had a final chance to draw level. A long ball thumped up the centre could have been left to run through to the keeper but in the absence of a shout Wilson tried to head it clear. His header fell to McCluskey wide on the right but he was caught in two minds and his angled ball across goal ended up skimming behind for the goal kick with Talbot able to hold on for all 3 points.

Whilst nowhere near their A game, Talbot will be happy to have claimed the victory and now move on to next Saturday when they travel through to Blair Park to face Hurlford.

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

Subs – Smith, Abed, Langan, Sime, Kerr, Glasgow, Cameron (gk)

Cumnock – Currie, Watt, Ellis, Craig, Brownlie, Wilson, Chalmers, Buchanan, Mackenzie, McCluskey, Conn

Subs – Jack, Dykes, Wright, Scott, Strain (gk)