Report

TALBOT HIT THE GLENS FOR SIX

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

There have been a fair few even derby encounters over the years between Talbot and the Glens but this wasn’t one of them as the Bot swept the Glens aside in a no nonsense manner at a floodlit Beechwood.  Before kick off there was an impeccably observed minute’s silence in honour of Kevin Higgins.

When the game kicked off it got off to a quick start. Talbot attacking first with McAvoy nearly bursting through only to be denied by the covering Willet and then down the other end the Glens forced a corner down the left which Talbot failed to clear. It came back out to the taker, Lindsay, whose low ball into the near post went behind for a goal kick.

In the 4th minute McAvoy released Gillies out wide and when his cross came over Allan headed it behind for a corner. Wardrope delivered it to the near post where Thomson flicked it on but there were no takers at the back post. The visitors came about as close as they were going to get in the 6th minute. Mullen cut in off the left and tried to place it low into the far corner. It took a slight deflection en route as it bent past the left post. The corner was taken short to Willet who fed it back out to Lindsay and he rolled it back into the path of Mullen who collapsed in the box looking for a penalty that never came.

Talbot came close to the opener in the 9th minute. Gillies’ ball up the left found McAvoy in behind the Glens defence and he flashed a shot across the face of goal and just wide of the left post. The goal wasn’t long delayed however and Talbot took the lead a minute later. The Bot won a corner down the right which Wardrope played across goal. McPherson headed it on to Boyd who saw his shot at goal blocked. It came out wide left where it ended up with Sime who swept over a cross which KYLE McAVOY headed low inside the left post.

As the cliché goes the next goal was going to be crucial and after a fairly even spell it was Talbot who doubled their lead in the 23rd minute. McAvoy slid the ball through to the overlapping Kerr and he raced to the bye line before cutting it back across goal. It came across to MICHAEL WARDROPE beyond the back post and he steadied himself before coolly passing it into the far corner to make it 2-0.  The Glens next attack saw them win a free kick out on the stand side which Lindsay bent over toward the back post where McPherson headed it behind for the corner. When the in swinging corner came over Armour punched it clear. The Bot had a penalty shout on the half hour mark. Kerr’s high ball over the top eluded the defence and found Thomson breaking into the area. He went down under the challenge of Willet but the ref waved play on.

Four mins later the Bot had a chance to extend their lead. Gillies angled a ball from the left touchline to find the run of Boyd who lashed his shot off target from 20 yards.In the 38th minute Clark played it up the line to find Wardrope with Willet forced to concede the corner. From the resultant corner the ball broke back to Clark whose low drive from just inside the area was blocked wide by a defender. It came to Wardrope who clipped it back into the centre where it fell to Gillies who saw his shot blocked from 12 yards. Five mins from the interval Talbot won a free kick a few yards outside the penalty area following a foul on Thomson. Wardrope lifted it to the back post where McAvoy headed it just wide.

The half ended with Talbot back on the attack. Boyd sent McAvoy through on goal down the right of the area but Markey did well racing off his line to block his shot behind for the corner. Wardrope’s corner was drilled in low and when cleared to the edge of the area it came to Sime who cracked a low shot just wide of the right post.

The 2nd half was only five minutes old when the Glens were forced into a change. McAvoy & Rowe both took a knock when duelling for a high ball with Rowe unable to continue and Pettigrew on in his place. In the 55th minute Talbot won a free kick just inside their own half which was clipped up the right. Boyd won the header on but it had just too much on it for McAvoy to get on the end of it. A minute later Boyd fired a shot across goal from a tight angle out on the right.

The incessant Talbot pressure paid off in the 58th minute with a 3rd goal. Sime squared it across to Clark who helped it on into the path of Kerr down the left. He chipped it toward the far corner of the 6-yard box where CONNOR BOYD floated a header back across and beyond Markey. In the 62nd minute the Glens made a double change with Ross & Taggart making way for Walker & McKee.

65 mins gone and Talbot added their fourth of the evening. Gillies played it into the feet of Boyd on the left of the area and he cut in on his right foot and went for goal. Markey did well to touch his shot onto the left post but when it came out KYLE McAVOY was on hand to head home the rebound. Talbot now made their first change of the evening with Langan on in place of Gillies. Confidence was running high and in the 70th minute when the ball fell to Boyd just inside the area he took a touch before firing it just over the bar on the half-volley.

Frustration got the better of Kerr who received a caution in the 71st minute for a late challenge on Clark. In the 74th minute Talbot McAvoy had a chance for his hat-trick. Langan raced through the centre before sliding a pass out left to find him in behind the defence but Markey did well to narrow the angle and make the stop. Glenafton had barely been over the halfway line in the 2nd half but were nearly in with quarter of an hour remaining. A long diagonal ball found Kerr breaking free down the left. He sped into the area but just as he went to hit it Clark got back to make the challenge and block it behind for a corner.

When the corner came over Talbot cleared it and were looking to break until Thomson was hauled back by Walker who received a yellow card. Talbot now made a double switch with McAvoy & Thomson off and Nimmo & Abed on in their stead. The subs were barely on the pitch before being involved in Talbot’s 5th of the evening. A shy from the right found Nimmo inside the area and he touched it on into the path of Abed. He tried to pass it low beyond the keeper who made a good save with his legs but the rebound went straight to CONNOR BOYD who passed it into the empty net to make it 5-0 with 77 mins played. Two minutes later Boyd’s ball from the left of the area found Langan in the centre of the box. It was fractionally behind him but he managed to get his shot away and it went just wide of Markey’s right post.

In the 81st min Kerr picked up a knock and couldn’t continue. Talbot’s next move saw a neat passing move end with Langan firing wide of the left post. In the 82nd minute Talbot made a double change with Schoneville on for the injured Clark and Miller on for Sime. Four mins from time Wardrope sent a curling cross over from the left that the defence could only clear as far as Nimmo at the edge of the area. He took a touch before drilling it wide of the right hand post. A minute later Nimmo came close again when he got on the end of a ball into the area, just beating the on rushing Markey to it, and firing it wide of target. Pettigrew now picked up a yellow card for dissent.

It was just a question of whether Talbot could add to their lead. In the 89th minute Abed surged forward before releasing Schoneville down the left but his cut back was blocked. In the final minute of regulation time Talbot added their 6th. A ball down the right found CONNOR BOYD in behind the defence and he waltzed around the keeper before firing it home. A comprehensive win for the Bot which will have done wonders for the confidence and goal difference. It’s back to cup duty on Saturday when Talbot travel through to Keanie Park to face Johnstone Burgh in the West.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Clark, Kerr, McPherson, Wilson, Sime, Wardrope, Gillies, Boyd, McAvoy, Thomson

Subs – Nimmo, Abed, Langan, Schoneville, Slooves, Miller, Hanlon

Glenafton Athletic – Markey, Currie, Willet, Rowe, Allan, McCubbin, Ross, Lindsay, Kerr, Mullen, Taggart

Subs – Walker, Pettigrew, McKee, McDougall, Jamieson