Report

Christmas came early for the Bot fans as Talbot staged a stunning fight back to claim all 3 points in a seven goal thriller against Cumnock. The paying customers certainly got their money’s worth as both sides went at it hammer & tongs with added gamesmanship to add spice to the occasion.

Talbot made the early running & were denied the lead in the 7th minute when Semple produced a top drawer save at his right post to keep out McDowall’s header.

Two minutes later Talbot came close via a fluke. Leishman lifted a free kick up the left to find Graham Wilson who squared it across the edge of the box toward Kemp. In attempting to clear Murray battered the ball off Kemp & it deflected wide of the right post.

Talbot were forced into an early change when McDowall limped off after 12 minutes to be replaced by Glasgow.

Fifteen minutes in, Talbot won a corner on the right when Pope angled a free kick in toward the back post that Ferry put behind. Cumnock looked vulnerable at corners & Talbot nearly punished them when Hyslop met Stephen Wilson’s cross but he directed his header just wide of the left post.

Lundie, guilty of 3 identical late tackles in as many minutes, finally prompted the ref into action in the 19th minute when he booked him. Soon after, he ought to have been walking to the clubhouse when he deliberately batted away Graham Wilson’s ball across goal but the referee dismissed Talbot’s penalty appeal.

Stephen Wilson had his name taken in the 24th minute when he caught Ferry as he went to shoot. This sparked a melee of Nock players charging toward the ref, led by Semple, in an attempt to get Wilson sent off. Their pressure partly paid off when the ref produced an unmerited yellow card before Ferry made a Lazarus style recovery.

Cumnock had offered nothing going forward but did have an effort on target on the 27th minute, albeit it came via Lyle who sliced the ball at his own goal whilst trying to clear Semple’s long ball down the centre but fortunately it went straight at Leishman.

A minute later though and Cumnock took the lead. There appeared to be no danger as Faulds chased after a long ball down the right. McPherson was in front of him & shepherded the ball back to Leishman but the Bot keeper made a howler, dropping the ball as he came to gather & FAULDS swept it into the empty net.

Talbot pushed men forward in an attempt to get back on level terms & had a great chance to do so in the 35th minute. Kemp won the ball out on the right before feeding it in to Graham Wilson who switched play out to Glasgow on the opposite wing. He pinged a great ball across goal which Kemp raced onto but he steered his volley wide of the left post from close range.

Things went from bad to worse a minute later when Talbot conceded another soft goal. Semple hoofed the ball up field where the Bot defence failed to cut it out. The ball was gathered on the left of the area by Degnam who squared it for PATTERSON to stroke home and put the visitors 2-0 ahead.

Talbot needed to reduce the deficit and clawed a goal back in the 40th minute. Murray conceded a corner on the right & when the ball came in McCracken glanced a header toward goal that was flicked into the net off the head of GRAHAM WILSON.

The goal galvanised Talbot who spent the closing 5 minutes of the half laying siege to the Nock goal.

Lundie did well in the 42nd minute when he managed to cut out Armstrong’s dangerous cross.

A minute later Armstrong again got free on the right & whipped over a quality delivery. The ball broke to Kemp on the right of the area & he hammered a low drive on goal that Semple did well to block. The ball came out to Stephen Wilson who was up-ended as he raced into the box by Dinwoodie and the ref pointed to the spot. There was a lengthy delay before the penalty could be taken due largely to Semple who received a caution for dissent. Stephen Wilson took the spot kick but Semple guessed the right way & dived to his right to keep it out and so Talbot went in a goal down at the interval.

Talbot would have hoped to have started where they left off at the start of the 2nd but made the worst possible start; conceding a penalty in the 49th minute. Faulds was sent sprawling by a clumsy challenge from Armstrong & Patterson kept his cool from the spot, placing it down the centre to put Cumnock 3-1 ahead.

Talbot weren’t making much progress and Tucker made a switch in the 54th minute bringing on McIlroy for Kemp.

Cumnock looked comfortable in their lead and might have extended it in the 66th minute. The ball was played out to Patterson on the left & when he volleyed it back across goal Degnam ran onto it for a free header but couldn’t get above it & drifted his header well over the bar.

A minute later Talbot almost pulled one back. McIlroy helped on Leishman’s long ball and it came to Glasgow in front of goal. He lost his footing but recovered in time to prod the ball past Semple only for Murray to pop up on the goal line to make the clearance.

Cumnock now made their one and only change with player-manager Burns coming on in place of Dinwoodie.

Talbot had a penalty appeal waved away in their next attack. Pope’s cross to the far post was headed back across the area by Armstrong where Stephen Wilson appeared to be nudged in the back but the ref waved play on.

It was game on in the 69th minute when Talbot pulled one back. Armstrong raced onto McPherson’s ball down the right & cut it back toward the near post where Stephen Wilson’s effort at goal was blocked by Lundie. The rebound came straight to SEAN MCILROY who blasted it into the roof of the net.

Hyslop picked up a ridiculous caution in the 75th minute when he beat Faulds fair & square in an aerial challenge and he was joined in the book a few minutes later by Patterson for yapping at the ref.

Cumnock were either tiring rapidly or trying to run the clock down, the choice is yours, as they took turns at going down with cramp.

In the 83rd minute Talbot won a corner down the right when Graham Wilson’s cut back toward McIlroy was knocked behind by Lundie. When the corner came over CRAIG MCCRACKEN met it on the volley and rifled it into the roof of the net for a finish a centre-forward would’ve been proud of.

Cumnock were now all over the place and Talbot nearly snatched the lead in the 85th minute. Once again Cumnock failed to cope with a corner into the box & the ball came across the face of goal to McIlroy who saw his shot from close range headed off the line at the right post.

The visitors weren’t totally done for though and gave Talbot a scare in the 86th minute when they caught Talbot on the counter. Faulds was played in down the right & he drilled a low ball across the 6-yard line where Patterson just failed to connect.

Two minutes from time and Talbot completed their come back. Armstrong played the ball out to Stephen Wilson on the right & he slung a cross into the box. The ball bounced off Reid & came to GRAHAM WILSON with his back to goal who swivelled round & steered a left foot volley past the keeper into the far corner. This sparked wild celebrations from the Bot players & fans & a booking for Graham Wilson for taking off his shirt which was a small price to pay.

Talbot had to claim the points the hard way but that only makes the victory all the sweeter and as an added bonus results elsewhere in the league went Talbot’s way. Next up for Talbot is an away day as they travel to face Cambuslang Rangers in the league.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Hyslop, McDowall, Graham Wilson, Kemp, Stephen Wilson

Subs – McIlroy, Samson, White, Shankland, Glasgow

Cumnock Juniors – Semple, Reid, Ferry, Lundie, Murray, McKenna, Montgomery, Dinwoodie, Patterson, Faulds, Degnam

Subs – Hunter, Muir, Anson, Brotherston, Burns

Photographs by Paul Flynn.