Report

MURRAY’S REPORT

Talbot dropped two points on a frustrating night at Beechwood as they were held to a draw by Irvine Meadow.

The first real chance of the evening came in the 7^th minute for the visitors. Byrne swung a cross into the box that was headed clear but came straight to Faulds 25 yards out and he drilled a shot over the bar.

Talbot’s first effort at goal came after 11 minutes. Talbot were awarded a free kick out on the left touchline which Wardrope whipped into the centre where McPherson headed off target.

Two mins later Talbot won a corner on the right when an attempted clearance hit off Mason and spun across the area and behind. Wardrope’s corner was cleared out straight back to him and his 2^nd cross found the head of Samson who glanced a header on target that was comfortably held by Waters.

Meadow’s keeper was tested in the 20^th minute when Boylan curled over a cross from the right that was drifting under the bar until Waters tipped it over.

Shortly after Boylan had another effort at goal when he had a pop from 25 yards that Waters held.

The first booking arrived in the 24^th minute when Aiden Wilson was penalised for a challenge on Faulds.

Meadow took the lead in the 29^th minute. Graham climbed to meet a ball down the centre and nodded it down into the path of BOYD on the right of the area and he drilled a low shot inside the left hand post.

Talbot looked for an immediate response and had a half chance in the 31^st minute. Mason hit a good cross into the near post where Samson steered a header on target but Waters was well positioned to make the save.

The visitors had a chance to double their lead in the 33^rd minute. Graham cushioned a header down to Boyd on the left of the area and he lifted a cross to the far side to find Wallace in space but his shot was blocked behind for a corner.

Meadow caught Talbot napping when they took the corner short to Boyd and he was able to lift a cross beyond the far post where Findlay saw his header deflected behind.

Talbot had a chance to draw level on the counter in the 38^th minute. Mason broke into the left of the penalty area and his shot took a deflection en route but Waters made a good stop at his near post.

In the 42^nd minute Talbot won a free kick 30 yards from goal when Faulds went through the back of Boyle. Wardrope touched it off into the path of Samson whose shot was blocked and spun out to the left of the penalty area. McPherson met it and hammered a low ball 1^st time across the face of goal but no one had anticipated it and the ball sped across and out for a shy.

A minute before the break Waters produced a top class save to keep Meadow ahead. Armstrong ran onto a ball 30 yards out and arrowed a shot that was heading into the top corner but the keeper managed to tip it over at full-stretch.

When the resultant corner came over McCracken managed to get his head on it but couldn’t make a clean contact and nodded wide.

As the half moved into added time Talbot had one last chance to level. The ball dropped to Mason on the left of the box with his back to goal and he wheeled and fired for goal but lifted it over the bar and Meadow went in ahead at the interval.

There were no changes at the break and the 2^nd half got off to a sluggish start with neither side making any headway. The Bot fans were looking for a card in the 51^st minute when Faulds went in late on Wardrope but the referee contented himself with awarding the free kick 35 yards out. Wardrope’s 1^st effort hit the wall and at the 2^nd attempt he whipped a good cross over to the back post. There were no takers but Mason gathered out on the right, near the byline, and raced for the area before being bundled over just outside the box by Faulds, who this time was shown a yellow card.

Wardrope took the free kick and lifted it to the far post but it was fractionally too high.

McCracken had his name taken in the 55^th minute for a shirt tug on Graham as he broke forward. L Kerr took the free kick and drilled a bouncing shot on target from 30+ yards that Fisher gathered at the 2^nd attempt.

Meadow found themselves a man down in the 57^th minute. Faulds tripped Samson just outside the penalty box and made the short trip to the dressing room for a 2^nd booking.

Wardrope shoved the resultant free-kick square to Samson who sliced a shot well-wide of the left post.

Meadow now made a change with Graham making way for O’Donnell.

Talbot threatened an equaliser on the hour mark. Wilson’s low ball into the area broke kindly for Boyle who fed it to his right to find Boylan in space. He floated a cross toward the back post but the defence did well to head it clear from under the bar.

Sixty-two mins in and Talbot were awarded a penalty for a foul on Samson on the left of the penalty area. AARON MASON stepped up to hit it and gave the keeper no chance as he slotted it inside the left hand post to make it 1-1.

The Bot had a chance to take the lead in the 65^th minute. Boylan made the byline down the right and hit a great cross beyond the far post where Wardrope directed a free header over from a tight angle.

A minute later Talbot were on the attack again. A pass found Boyle inside the penalty area and he in turn spread it out right to Boylan whose cross sailed across goal to the back post but there was no one on hand to take advantage.

In the 67^th minute Talbot won a free kick wide right of the penalty area following Byrne’s hand-ball but were unable to make anything of the set piece.

Boyle had his name taken in the 71^st minute for a late challenge in the centre.

Talbot now made a double switch with Boyle & Mason making way for Taylor & Graham Wilson.

With quarter of an hour remaining Meadow made a change with McNair coming on for L Kerr.

The visitors turned defence to attack in the 76^th minute. Waters did well to punch Wardrope’s corner clear under pressure and Meadow moved swiftly up the park where Boyd switched it left to find McNair racing forward but Aiden Wilson made a timely tackle to put it behind for the corner.

In the 79^th minute Findlay & Samson clashed as they chased a through ball but the referee opted just to have a word with them.

Talbot moved ahead in the 82^nd minute. Armstrong slid a pass into the feet of ROSS TAYLOR on the right of the box and he cut inside on his left foot and drilled a low shot across goal into the opposite corner.

Meadow now made a double change with Lennox & Urquhart off and I Kerr & Stewart on and Talbot made a further change with Crawford replacing Boylan.

Five minutes from time Talbot conceded a soft goal to make it 2-2. A ball driven into the box deflected off Stafford and spun high toward goal. The ball beat Fisher and cannoned off the underside of the bar and MCNAIR prodded home from close range.

Talbot now threw everything but the kitchen sink at Meadow in an attempt to grab a late winner.

McNair picked up a yellow card for a foul out on the right and Wardrope guided a great diagonal ball in that sailed across goal with neither Crawford or Samson able to get a touch on it.

Two minutes from time Stewart received a yellow card for a late challenge on McPherson.

With a minute to go Samson had a chance for Talbot when he found himself in space 15 yards out but he directed his shot wide of the right post.

Deep into injury time Talbot came within a whisker of winning it. Wardrope rifled a shot from the edge of the area that Waters could only watch as it crashed off the underside of the crossbar and bounced out to safety.

A disappointing night for Talbot who now turn their focus to Saturday when they travel to Loch Park to face Glenafton.

Auchinleck Talbot – Fisher, Stafford, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Boyle, Wardrope, Samson, Boylan, Mason

Subs – Graham Wilson, Taylor, Lennox, Crawford, Ballantyne, Park, Leishman

Irvine Meadow – Waters, Wallace, Byrne, Wharton, Findlay, Lennox, Faulds, Urquhart, Graham, L Kerr, Boyd

Subs – O’Donnell, McMillan, I Kerr, Slooves, McNair, Stewart, Bysouth