Talbot extended their lead at the top of the table with thanks to a hard fought derby win over Glenafton.
Talbot dominated the opening period & had a couple of half chances to take an early lead. Hyslop bent a good ball over from the right to find G Wilson in front of goals but the ball broke off him & ran through to McGarrity.
Hyslop created the next chance too, clipping the ball over the defence for the run of S Wilson. He was challenged before he could shoot but the ball fell kindly to Latta who shoved his effort wide of the post under pressure from Cairns.
S Wilson would have been clean through on the keeper in the 12th min after a one-two with Young but Butch’s final pass was too heavy.
G Wilson came close to the opener in the 14th min. Milliken intercepted the ball just the Glens box & fed a quick pass through to G Wilson who knocked it past the advancing keeper but wide of the right post.
The Glens 1st look at goal came after 19 mins when McGuffie forced a corner on the left. Hay drove it in & McCann glanced a header well wide of target.
Talbot won a free kick in a dangerous area in the 24th min when G Wilson was tripped just outside the box. Hyslop’s shot smacked into the wall & spun out to S Wilson on the right of the area. He didn’t make the best of connections but managed to steer his shot inside the left post. The goal should have stood but bizarrely was chalked off for an offside call only the standside linesman spotted.
Justice was done though a minute later as Talbot took the lead & a cracking goal it was too.
G WILSON outpaced Meikle down the left before rifling an unstoppable shot over McGarrity to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.
Glenafton now began to come into the game & Cairns tested Leishman with a long range effort.
There was a momentary panic in the Bot defence when McGuffie got in behind on the right & stood a cross up into the centre where Leishman failed to take it under the challenge of McCann. It came out to Andrew on the left & Latta did well to block his shot behind. When Hay’s corner came over McCann nodded it wide of the far post.
Talbot’s rocky spell continued when Latta lost his footing inside the area. McGill pounced on the loose ball & fired a low shot on target that Leishman smothered.
Right on the stroke of halftime Talbot almost gifted the Glens an equaliser. White misjudged a high ball down the middle as it bounced in behind him he was outmuscled by McCann who prodded a shot on target that Leishman gathered at the 2nd time of asking.
Talbot started the 2nd half sluggishly & their cause wasn’t helped when the ref harshly booked Milliken for an innocuous challenge. The Bot were then temporarily reduced to ten men when McCracken left the field for treatment & the Glens nearly took advantage. A cross into the centre skidded off Hyslop & landed at Andrew whose low drive was blocked by Pope.
Glenafton were on top & they forced a string of corners around the hour mark but could find no way through the Bot defence. From the last of these corners Talbot looked to counterattack through Milliken but he was hauled down by McChesney who received a caution.
A minute later he was joined in the book by Cairns who scythed down Boyd.
Talbot settled their nerves with a 2nd goal in the 65th minute. BOYD capitalised on Meikle’s error to nip in behind the centre half & carry on into the box before coolly passing it inside McGarrity’s right post.
The two Wilson brothers were involved in Talbot’s next chance. Steven robbed McGuffie of the ball before releasing Graham down the left and he saw his shot turned behind at the near post.
Glenafton made a change in the 73rd min bringing Marlow on for Cairns & Talbot soon made their first change with Shankland replacing G Wilson.
Tucker had to make a further change in the 79th min when Latta limped off to be replaced by Love.
Talbot largely controlled the game in the closing stages, though McGill forced a decent stop from Leishman with five mins remaining.
Menzies let frustration get the better of him in the final minute and picked up a silly caution for booting the ball away.
This win sets Talbot up nicely for the weekend visit of Pollok.Talbot – Leishman Latta Pope McCracken White Boyd Young Hyslop Milliken G Wilson S WilsonSubs – Shankland Love Findlay Johnstone

Glenafton – McGarrity Menzies Cairns Meikle McChesney Hay McGuffie Gray Andrew McCann McGill

Subs – Dallas Marlow Orsi Potter Buchanan