Report

TALBOT GET THERE IN THE END

Report: Murray Steele, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn

Talbot maintained their 100% record in local derbies with a fine win over Glenafton at Beechwood.

The windy conditions made it tricky for both sets of players and the game got off to a slow start with the first real threat coming in the 8^th minute when the ball broke to Glasgow just outside the area. He played it through towards Smith but Rowe did well to intercept and clear.

In the 11^th minute the Glens won a corner down the left that was taken short and worked to O’Kane just inside the penalty area who saw his shot for goal charged down.

The visitors threatened in the 17^th minute when Viviani cut in off the right but as he set up to shoot he was impeded by a team mate and the chance was lost.

Talbot were on the attack in the 21^st minute when Smith sent Gillies free on the left. His cross took a slight deflection and flew across goal and behind for the corner. Glasgow hit the corner into the near post where it was headed clear. It came out to Boyle who sent it wide right to find Glasgow who whipped a good ball into the centre. The ball broke back out to Slooves who fired a half-volley over the bar from 15 yards.

A minute later Talbot took the lead. Smith cut in off the left and swirled an in swinging cross into the goal mouth. Markey flapped at it on the goal line and RUARIDH LANGAN was on hand to bundle it over the line to make it 1-0.

Talbot now stepped up a gear or two and in the 26^th minute Smith burst into the left of the Glens area only to see his low drive blocked by Pettigrew. The ball was recycled out to the right touchline where Glasgow fired a good cross into the near post for CONNOR BOYD to flash a header into the far corner to double Talbot’s lead.

Two minutes later Talbot added their third of the afternoon. Smith hit a short free kick to Boyle who slid a pass through toward Glasgow who was bundled over from behind inside the box and the ref pointed to the spot. ROSS SMITH took it and gave the keeper no chance as he placed it inside the left post.

The Glens looked shell-shocked at this stage with Talbot looking likely to add to their tally. A slick passing move ended with Wilson firing the ball into the feet of Gillies inside the area but it cannoned off him and behind for the goal kick.

In the 35^th minute Boyd turned and fired on target but he was slightly off balance and his low drive was held by Markey.

McCracken then joined the attack, bursting forward into space, before drilling a powerful low shot on target that Markey spilled and just managed to gather at the 2^nd attempt before Glasgow reached it.

Five minutes from half-time Talbot had a great chance to make it four. Boyd played an inch perfect pass from the right touchline to find Smith in space inside the area. He tried to place it beyond Markey who did well to save with his feet.

Markey again had to look lively in the 42^nd minute when McPherson raced down the right and slung over a cross that was heading inside the near post til the keeper got across to punch it clear and Talbot had to content themselves with a 3 goal advantage at the break.

Talbot started the 2^nd half positively and in the 47^th minute Glasgow did well to hold the ball up before releasing it to the overlapping Gillies whose low ball across the area was cut out by Sinnamon.

A minute later Talbot won a free kick in a good area when Glasgow was fouled 22 yards out. Smith took it and found the target but his low drive lacked the power to test Markey.

The Glens keeper then launched a quick ball down the left where O’Kane got goal side of McPherson inside the box and when he caught his heels the ref pointed to the spot. MOFFAT hit it down the middle and Glavin almost stopped it with his trailing leg but it floated up and into the back of the net to make it 3-1.

Talbot looked for an immediate response and won a corner down the left. Glasgow curled it beyond the far post where Boyd ran onto it to place a header on target that Markey held comfortably at his left hand post.

In the 53^rd minute Talbot were on the wrong end of an officiating blunder. The ball came out wide to a Glens player on the stand-side touchline who clearly handled the ball when he miscontrolled it. Everyone in Beechwood seemed to spot it bar the ref and his assistants and play was allowed to continue. He cut in off the left and won a free kick 25 yards out. MCLEAN then hit a peach of a free kick into the top right hand corner to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

Talbot made their first change in the 61^st minute with McAvoy on in place of Smith.

The Bot were unlucky in the 64^th minute. Wilson hit a good deep cross to find Glasgow beyond the back post and he guided a header back across the face of goal that just went behind McAvoy.

With 20 minutes remaining Talbot made a double switch with Langan & Glasgow making way for Armstrong & Thomson.

There was then action at both ends of the field – firstly Viviani cut inside Wilson and hammered a low ball across the face but there was too much on it for any Glens player to get near. Then Talbot’s next attack saw Boyle carry the ball forward before drilling a left foot shot wide of the right hand post.

The Glens hopes of a spectacular comeback were scuppered with quarter of an hour remaining when Talbot moved 4-2 ahead. Wilson fed the ball into CONNOR BOYD on the left of the area and he made something out of nothing – pinging a perfect lob into the far top corner to give Markey no chance.

The Glens had a half chance to pull one back a few minutes later when McLean drilled a low ball in off the right but it went slightly behind Viviani who steered it well wide for the goal kick.

Talbot were then back on the attack – Boyle winning a free kick that Thomson fed out to Gillies on the wing and his ball sped across the face of goal with no takers.

In the 82^nd minute Boyd fired a shot wide of the right hand post.

Talbot now completed their substitutions with another double change – Gillies & Boyd being replaced by Schoneville & Urquhart.

With 6 minutes remaining Talbot had another half chance. A hanging cross from the left saw McAvoy out-leap Markey in the goal mouth but his header drifted wide of the right post.

The scoring was completed in the 86^th minute. Thomson’s corner from the right wasn’t dealt with by the defence and broke off McCracken into the path of ROSS URQUHART who steered a low left foot shot past Markey to make it 5-2.

In the closing stages Talbot nearly added a sixth when a cross was only cleared as far as Boyle who fired just over the bar from the edge of the area.

A good performance and result that sees Talbot climb to 7^th in the table. Next up it’s back to Beechwood when Talbot host Hurlford United in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Junior cup.

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, McPherson, Wilson, Slooves, McCracken, Langan, Boyle, Gillies, Boyd, Glasgow, Smith                                                 Subs – Thomson, McAvoy, Urquhart, Armstrong, Abed, Schoneville, Henry

Glenafton Athletic – Markey, McLean, Sinnamon, Pettigrew, Paton, Fraser, Viviani, Moffat, Buchanan, O’Kane, Rowe                                                Subs – McWaters, Caddis, McMullen, Holding