Report

SECOND HALF DOUBLE GIVES TALBOT THE POINTS.

Report. Murray Steele, Photo’s Craig McGhee, Media Lee Conn.

Talbot got their league campaign off to a flying start with a 2-0 win over Darvel at a sunny Beechwood.

The visitors made the quicker start and won a corner within the opening minute which the Talbot defence headed clear the back post.

Talbot’s first attack came in the 6^th minute when a ball in behind the Darvel defence found Boyd wide on the left. He cut inside onto his right foot and fired a shot across goal and wide of the target.

In the 14^th minute Wardrope fired a low ball across to find Schoneville and he drilled a shot wide from 20 odd yards.

Down the other end Darvel put together a good passing move that ended with McGlinchey curling over a dangerous cross from the left that Wilson headed behind for a corner which Talbot successfully dealt with.

Neither keeper had been tested as yet but that changed in the 24^th minute when Boyle passed it short into Wardrope. He let fly from distance and Wilson did well to tip his effort over the crossbar. When the resultant corner came over from the right it eluded everyone in the centre and came to Boyd beyond the far post. He angled a shot on target that had the keeper beaten but a defender was in the right spot to clear it off the line.

The Bot came close again in the 27^th minute. Wardrope won a corner down the right and when it came over Slooves met it but sent his header over the bar.

Talbot’s purple patch continued and Wilson was tested again from long range when Aiden Wilson hit a low drive from 30 yards that the Darvel keeper had to turn wide of his left hand post.

Once again Wardrope’s corner caused problems for Darvel. This time McPherson ran onto the end of it but sent his header over.

The visitors had a let off in the 37^th minute when McPherson robbed Barbour of possession down by the corner flag. He sent a low ball in across goal that saw a defender slice his clearance but fortunately for Darvel it went straight to the keeper.

Two minutes later Darvel gave the Bot support a nervy moment when they won a free kick 25 yards out. It was fired in low & on target and took an awkward bounce just before it reached Armour & the keeper wasn’t able to hold it. The rebound came out to McDonald who headed it on target but Armour recovered quickly to make the stop.

In the 42^nd minute McGlinchey tried an ambitious effort from distance that sailed wide of the left hand upright.

A minute later Talbot were back on the attack through Schoneville who hit a fierce drive on target. Wilson parried it and a defender reacted quickest to head it behind for the corner. Again, the corner found a Talbot head and this time Boyd glanced a header wide of the far post.

In the final minute of the half Murphy’s crossfield pass found A Black inside the left edge of the Talbot penalty area and he drilled his shot into the side-netting from a tight angle.

As the half drew to a close Talbot passed up a golden chance to take the lead. Boyd’s effort at goal was deflected behind for a corner which the defence could only clear out as far as Wardrope whose curling effort was tipped around the right hand post by Wilson. When the corner came over from the left it went deep beyond the far post where McPherson steered a header back across but Gillies sent a free header over the bar from close range and the sides went in level at the interval.

The 2^nd half got off to a fairly even start with Talbot edging it without either side looking too threatening until the 55^th minute when Talbot grabbed the opener.

A shy down the left was met by Boyd whose head flick found ROSS CLARK running in behind the defence and spotting Wilson off his line he went for the early lob. Wilson managed to get his fingertips to it but couldn’t prevent it from sailing into the net to put Talbot ahead.

Talbot took full advantage and five minutes later doubled their lead. A ball down the right was helped on by Abed into the path of Clark. He fed it out wide to Boyd who whipped over a great ball into the near post where LUKE GILLIES steered it past Wilson.

In the 63^rd minute Allan went for goal from 35 yards – firing a powerful effort over the crossbar.

Darvel now made a triple substitution with Walker, McKenzie & J Black making way for Aitken, Culbert & Williamson.

The Bot’s next attack saw Wardrope find Boyd in space on the left of the penalty area; however his first touch saw it get stuck between his feet and when he got his shot off at the 2^nd attempt it flew across goal and well wide

Talbot made their first changes in the 67^th minute with Wardrope & Abed being replaced by Langan & Smith.

Smith was involved in Talbot’s next attack – taking a good 1^st touch before laying it out wide to find Schoneville on the overlap. He fired it low across goal where Boyd dummied at the near post but the defence were able to clear.

Tucker now made further changes with Boyd & Clark heading off to be replaced by McAvoy & Sime.

McAvoy was barely on the park when he had a half chance. A shy from the left found him at the edge of the area but he didn’t catch his shot cleanly and it lacked the power to beat the keeper.

With quarter of an hour remaining Darvel won a free kick 30 yards out. Allan took it and fired it straight down the middle where Armour turned it over the bar. Darvel made nothing of the resultant corner and both sides now made further changes – Armstrong coming on for Gillies for the Bot and Darvel replacing Murphy & McDonald with Gilmartin & Callaghan.

The referee had kept his cards in his pocket all afternoon but Smith received the game’s only caution four minutes from time for preventing a quick free kick.

Two minutes from time Talbot came close to adding to their lead. Schoneville went on a lung-bursting run up the left evading several challenges before cutting it back into the path of McAvoy. He took his time and tried to pass it inside the right hand post but for the 2^nd time of the afternoon a Darvel defender was in the right spot to make a goal line clearance.

The game ended with Talbot on the attack – winning a free kick 22 yards out on the right. Langan swept a dangerous ball into the centre which the defence did well to head clear before the referee blew up for full-time.

A positive start for the Bot who could have won by a few more if they’d been a bit more clinical with their heading. Next up for Talbot it’s a Tuesday night trip through to Keanie Park to face Johnstone Burgh.

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

Subs – Smith, McAvoy, Sime, Langan, Kerr, Armstrong, Cameron (gk)

Darvel – Wilson, Barbour, Docherty, Walker, Murphy, McKenzie, A Black, J Black, McGlinchy, Allan, McDonald

Subs – Duncan, Aitken, Gilmartin, Callaghan, Culbert, Williamson, Howie