TALBOT HOLD THEIR NERVE TO REACH FINAL NUMBER TWO.

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

Last time at Beechwood Talbot triumphed over Thorniewood in a penalty shoot-out to book their place in the West Final. In a carbon copy, this time round Talbot went all the way through 90 mins then extra time before seeing off Hill O’Beath on pens to secure their place in the South Challenge cup final.

The Bot couldn’t have asked for a better start, taking the lead with only 3 mins on the clock. Gillies played it into the feet of KYLE McAVOY on the left of the box and he slotted it past the keeper and into the far corner to put Talbot one up.

The visitors first chance to test the home defence came in the 8th minute when Smith won a free kick out on the stand side. Elder whipped a good ball over to the back post where McAvoy headed clear. The first of many bookings came in the 10th minute when Smith was cautioned for a late challenge on Langan. From the resultant free kick McPherson squared it to Wilson who pinged it up the left channel. McAvoy headed it down into the area but Langan just failed to get on the end of it.

Two minutes later Smith went over theatrically just outside the penalty area when challenged by McPherson and the ball ran through to Armour. In the 17th minute Love became the 2nd Haws’ player in the ref’s notebook when he was cautioned for a shirt tug to prevent Sime breaking forward. The free kick was taken short by Wardrope who teed it up for Thomson and his low drive flew just wide of the left post from 30 yards. Talbot were hunting for a 2nd goal and won a free kick out wide on the left following a hand ball. Wardrope delivered a good ball into the penalty area but it didn’t fall Talbot’s way and the defence scrambled it clear.

Wardrope was unlucky not to double Talbot’s lead in the 26th minute. Langan burst forward before spreading it out wide right to find Wardrope who cut inside and fired a left foot thunderbolt that looked to be heading inside the far post but it took a slight deflection off a defender and flew wide for the corner. When the corner came over from the left McPherson met it but he was falling backwards as he hit it and sent his left foot effort over the bar from 6 yards out.

So far so good for Talbot but the Bot defence were caught out in the 29th minute with a ball over the top. Tosh was sent tumbling by Clark resulting in a free kick just outside the box and a caution for Talbot’s full-back. Reekie made a mess of the free kick – tamely hitting it low into the wall but the rebound fell for the visitors and they worked it to Smith on the left of the area. He fired it back across goal forcing a good stop from Armour. The rebound came quickly to Featherstone and he couldn’t react in time and sent his header well wide of target.

Talbot came close again in the 32nd minute. Langan carried it forward before sending it out left to find Gillies. He knocked it back to Schoneville who whipped over a great ball that skipped past Thomson & McAvoy in front of goal.

A minute later Gillies tried his luck from distance and wasn’t far away as he cracked a left foot drive just wide of the right hand upright.

In the final minute of the 1st half Featherstone’s cut back from the right was deflected into the path of Watt 18 yards out. He hit the target but Armour was able to touch it over the bar and Talbot successfully fielded the resulting corner to go in a goal ahead at the break.

The visitors made a change at the break with Galloway on for Clapperton.

In the 48th minute Talbot broke quickly after clearing a corner. Wardrope switched it from left to right trying to find McAvoy but Duffy had read the danger and raced out his box to head it clear.

Hill of Beath had a half chance in the 55th minute. Love spread it out wide right to find Gray and his cross beyond the far post was met by Smith but he failed to hit the target with his header.

A minute later slack play by the visitors saw Thomson pounce on the ball midway inside their half and break for goal. He was shepherded out wide and dispossessed by Elder but the visitors failed to clear their lines. When it came to Wardrope he burst forward only to be taken out by Watt who was yellow carded for obstruction. Wardrope lifted the free kick into the area where it found the head of McAvoy but he couldn’t get enough on it and glanced it well wide.

On the hour mark Talbot won another free kick in the Haws half and this time Elder ended up the player cautioned. Wardrope angled it into the box where McAvoy was waiting but a defender managed to get his head to it to make the interception. Hill of Beath now made their 2nd change with Adamson on in place of Smith. The game was then held up for a bit when Langan took a nasty head knock and required his head to be bandaged before play could continue.

The visitors almost levelled in the 68th minute. Adamson showed good feet down the right to get away from Langan & Schoneville before cutting it back to Tosh whose shot across goal was heading in until palmed wide by Armour. It came to Watt beyond the far post but he was closed down at the expense of a corner which Armour claimed when it came over.

With 20 mins remaining Talbot won a free kick 25 yards out after Clark was bundled over. Wardrope took it short to Gillies and he hammered it low on target but straight at Duffy who held it.

The game was all square a minute later. Galloway played it on to Featherstone and he in turn fed it on to Elder on the left wing. He pulled it back and TOSH side-footed it home from 12 yards. Moments later the visitors threatened to take the lead. A ball up the centre wasn’t dealt with and when it broke loose it came to Tosh 25 yards out. He hit it on the volley and Armour helped it on over the crossbar.

With a quarter of an hour to go Sime sent Schoneville clear down the left but his cross to the far post was just a shade too heavy for anyone to get on the end of it and went behind for a goal kick.

In the 78th minute Baur received a caution for a shove in the back of Thomson and within a minute Hill of Beath were down to 10 after Elder received a 2nd yellow card for a late tackle on Clark. Talbot now made a double switch with Langan & Thomson making way for Boyle & Abed. The visitors also made another change with Mitchell on for Featherstone.

The Bot’s man advantage was short-lived and it was 10 aside when Clark picked up his 2nd caution of the afternoon for a mistimed challenge.

Five minutes from time Abed’s pass found McAvoy in space on the left of the area. He tried to replicate his earlier goal with a right foot shot back across goal but this time a defender got across to block and it came back off McAvoy for the goal kick.

As the game moved into injury time there were late chances at both ends. Sime played it into the feet of Wardrope and he cut in onto his left foot and drilled a low effort just wide of the left hand post.

Deep into added time the visitors won a corner down the right. Galloway fired it in low where it was cleared outside the area. Abed got onto it and appeared to be clearly pulled back by Love. The ref waved play on though and a Haws player hit it on the half-volley from 25 yards and it flew just wide of the left post. There was plenty of time to be added, not only for Langan’s earlier injury, but also for a further clash of heads in added time which saw both Sime & Love require treatment, but finally it was all over and into extra time.

Talbot made a change in extra time with Kerr coming on for Sime.

Hill of Beath had a great chance to take the lead in the 100th minute. Tosh was sent clean through down the left but with only Armour to beat he shanked his shot wide of target. Two minutes later Talbot came close at the other end. Wardrope forced a corner down the right which Schoneville delivered beyond the far post. Wilson met it and headed it back across goal but it went just wide of the left post.

There were now further changes for both sides with Allum on in place of Watt and Slooves on for Schoneville.

Talbot seemed to find their 2nd breath in the 2nd period of extra time and if anyone looked like going on to win it was Talbot.

Gillies was unlucky when he charged forward and let fly with a rocket of a shot that just cleared the bar.

Next up for Talbot Slooves hit a good long diagonal ball to pick out Wardrope down the right and he came close to putting Talbot back in front but his low angled drive flew across goal and past the right hand post. Talbot kept pushing and with the clock running down McPherson burst forward from the back and played it into McAvoy but his tiring legs couldn’t get on the end of it.

In the final minute of extra time the Haws made a final change with Penman on to replace Duffy for the penalty shoot-out.

Talbot were first to go and Wardrope gave Penman no chance as he buried it inside the left hand post.

Mitchell was up next for the visitors and smacked his inside the same post to level it.

McAvoy was next up for Talbot and again gave the keeper no chance as he fired it inside the right post.

It was now Adamson’s turn and once again it was a well-struck effort with Armour helpless as it went to 2-2.

Gillies took Talbot’s 3rd and confidently tucked it away inside the right post to put Talbot ahead.

Thus far all the penalties had been top drawer but the pressure got the better of Galloway as he pulled his shot well wide of the right post.

Kerr now stepped up to hit Talbot’s 4th and again gave Penman no encouragement as he placed it inside the right post.

Allum now had to score for the visitors but Armour went the right way making a flying save to his right to keep it out and secure the win for Talbot.

A hard fought victory that came at some cost with knocks to Langan & Sime and a lot of tired legs by the end. Next up for Talbot it’s back to league duty as the Bot head through to face Clydebank on Tuesday night.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Clark, Schoneville, Wilson, McPherson, Sime, Wardrope, Langan, McAvoy, Gillies, Thomson

Subs – Abed, Nimmo, Boyle, Mitchell, Kerr, Slooves, Hanlon

Hill of Beath Hawthorn – Duffy, Gray, Elder, Reekie, Baur, Love, Featherstone, Clapperton, Watt, Tosh, Smith

Subs – Mitchell, Galloway, Adamson, Runciman, Luke, Allam, Penman (gk)