Report

Read more: http://auchinlecktalbotfc.proboards.com/thread/7841/auchinleck-talbot-4-hurlford-united#ixzz4r2M6rabzA 2nd half goal blitz saw Talbot come from behind to claim a 4-1 victory over a ten man Hurlford side & get their 1st points on the board in this season’s Super League.
Talbot started impressively & carved out a good chance within two minutes. Stephen Wilson hared up the centre before slipping a pass out left to release Glasgow. He drilled a low shot across goal that forced a good stop from Brown.
Hurlford were dealt a blow in the 12th minute when they went a man down.
Glasgow’s pass sent Graham Wilson running through on goal & he was brought down just outside the penalty area by Glen Mitchell who was sent packing for denying a goal scoring opportunity.
Shankland took the free kick but it wasn’t his best & Brown made a comfortable save.
Hurlford hadn’t shown much going forward but they did threaten in the 20th minute. Watt got free down the right & fired a dangerous ball across the penalty area that was just too far ahead of Danny Mitchell in the centre.
In the 23rd minute Talbot won a free kick out on the left touchline, wide of the Hurlford box, after McKnight fouled Hyslop. Shankland curled it beyond the far post where McCracken tried to head it back across goal but his header hit off a defender & went for a corner.
Danny Mitchell received a caution in the 24th minute for a late challenge on Stephen Wilson. Wilson tried to run off the injury, but it became apparent he wasn’t 100% & he was replaced in the 28th minute by Faulds.
Faulds came close to breaking the deadlock in the 35th minute. He gathered outside the box & hammered a shot that flew just wide of the left upright.
Talbot came even closer in the 42nd minute. Glasgow swiped & missed it, the ball broke to Shankland & he hit a shot off the foot of the right post.
In the last minute of the half Talbot won a free kick 25 yards out when Robertson impeded Graham Wilson. Brown raced off his line to remonstrate with the officials and was booked for his troubles. Shankland took the set piece but his shot hit the wall & this proved to be the last action of the 1st half.
Talbot made a strong start to the 2nd half & threatened through Shankland in the 47th minute. He cut in from the left & curled a great ball to the far post but there were no takers & it sailed behind for a goal kick.
A minute later Talbot passed up a real chance to take the lead. Shankland played it into the feet of Wilson & he teed it up for Glasgow 10 yards out but Brown managed to block his low drive.
Hurlford had an effort on target in the 52nd minute. A diagonal ball found Roberts on the left of the penalty area & he blasted a shot straight at Leishman who parried it away.
At the other end Talbot came close a few minutes later. Shankland cut the ball back for Glasgow & Brown did well to touch his shot wide of the right post.
It was ten man Hurlford who took the lead in the 57th minute. Watt drove into the penalty box & cut it back toward McKenzie. He was tackled as he went to hit it but the ball fell to ROBERTS & he slammed it into the bottom corner.
Talbot nearly produced a leveller two minutes later. Shankland set it up for Wilson & his left footed strike flew just past Brown’s left post.
Wilson came close again in the 62nd minute. Roberts headed the ball back toward his own area & Wilson latched onto it, firing a low drive that was deflected just wide of the post.
Tucker now decided to go for broke, bringing on a forward for a defender, with McPherson making way for McIlroy.
Talbot were pushing forward in numbers but couldn’t breach the Ford defence. Pope lifted a dangerous cross into the back post which Brown couldn’t take. It was fed back to Shankland but his shot was blocked.
Pope was next to try his luck, cutting inside on his right foot but his shot was blocked inside the area.
Committing bodies forward left Talbot vulnerable at the back & they had two lucky escapes in the 69th minute. Roberts burst into the area & cut it back from the bye line but Watt’s shot was a poor one. Talbot then immediately gifted the ball straight back to Hurlford at the edge of the penalty area & McKenzie tested Leishman with a low drive that he held at the 2nd attempt.
Talbot made their final change with 20 minutes remaining; Kemp coming on for Glasgow.
With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot tested the Ford defence when Wilson sent Shankland away on the left. He whipped a cross over that McKillen put over his own bar.
Hurlford now made a change with Fisher coming on for McKenzie, who was booked on his way off the park for time-wasting.
A slice of luck, and some dodgy goal keeping, saw Talbot draw level in the 77th minute.
Talbot won a corner on the left that Shankland sent into the area. It was cleared straight back out to SHANKLAND & this time he curled a cross over that eluded Wilson & McIlroy in front of goal & sailed past Brown who seemed to anticipate the Bot players getting a touch on it.
Within the space of a minute Talbot turned the game on its head as they took the lead. KEMP rattled an unstoppable effort from the right of the area that flew inside the right post to put Talbot 2-1 in front.
The game was effectively over as a contest in the 83rd minute. Robertson nudged Shankland over inside the box as he went for a high ball & the ref pointed to the spot. GRAHAM WILSON buried it past Brown to put Talbot 3-1 ahead.
Talbot completed the scoring with 5 minutes remaining. Pope flighted a cross over to the back post where MCILROY met it to volley home.
A good comeback from Talbot who following Kilwinning’s expulsion from the Ardagh now travel to Fullarton Park on Wednesday night to face Irvine Victoria.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Harvey, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, Stephen Wilson, White, Glasgow, Graham Wilson, Shankland, Hyslop

Subs – McIlroy, Kemp, Thomson, Weir, Faulds

Hurlford United – Brown, McKnight, McKillen, Glen Mitchell, Robertson, Jenkins, McKenzie, Danny Mitchell, Roberts, Watt, Liddingston

Subs – Hodge, Marks, Molloy, Agnew, Fisher

Photographs by Paul Flynn.