Talbot narrowed the gap at the top of the table thanks to a five star performance against Kilbirnie at Beechwood.
The opening spell was fairly tight, with neither side able to test the opposing keeper, and play largely confined to the middle third of the pitch.
Talbot put together a decent move in the 12th minute when Glasgow pounced on a loose ball midway inside the Kilbirnie half. He played it 1st time out to McIlroy on the left & he swung a cross over onto the head of S Wilson who attempted to cushion it down to Glasgow but it ran through to Hughes.
The Bot’s next attack saw White leave a couple of defenders flat-footed when he turned outside the box to create the space for a shot but he blasted his effort well-wide of target.
The opening goal came in the 21st minute. Talbot won a free kick out on the left that was played into the area. The Blasties defence failed to clear their lines & the ball came to Shankland on the left of the area. He fired it low across the 6-yard area where McIlroy stretched out a leg to send it crashing off the bar. HYSLOP was 1st to react to the rebound, taking a touch before hammering it home with his left foot to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.
Five minutes later the Blasties defence was all at sea again. Glasgow skipped past Juskowiak & raced for the penalty area where he was obstructed by O’Byrne, resulting in a free kick 20 yards out & a booking for Kilbirnie’s centre-half. Shankland took the set-piece & was unlucky not to add to Talbot’s lead. His shot was heading inside the right post but Hughes flew across to push it wide.
Glasgow had a chance to double Talbot’s lead in the 31st minute. He raced onto McIlroy’s knock down & lobbed the ball over Hughes who was stranded well off his line but his shot sailed wide of target.
Two minutes later Talbot won a free kick wide of the penalty area when McIlroy had his heels clipped. Shankland whipped a great ball over to the back post where McKinnon headed it behind.
Talbot continued to look the likelier & their next attack saw Wilson find Lyle in space on the right. He slung a good cross to the back post where Shankland slid in to meet it but at full stretch he couldn’t direct it on goal.
Kilbirnie had been very shot shy but did produce a good effort two minutes before the break. Scullion gathered 30 yards from goal & blasted a shot just wide of Leishman’s right post.
The 2nd half started fairly evenly but gradually Talbot began to push the visitors back & test their defence. In the 52nd minute Wilson played in Glasgow down the right & he squared it to McIlroy inside the box who saw his shot blocked behind off O’Byrne.
Shankland took the resultant corner & fired it low into the corner of the 6-yard area where Wilson ran onto it. He side-footed it on target but was denied by Hughes who made a fingertip save to turn it round his left post.
Kilbirnie made a change in the 59th minute with Roberts coming on in place of Juskowiak.
A minute later the visitors came close to drawing level through a set-piece. They won a free kick out wide on the left & Scullion drilled a dangerous low shot across goal which Leishman pushed away with Williamson lurking.
Kilbirnie were reduced to 10 men in the 61st minute. Shankland out-muscled McKinnon outside the area & as he was about to race through on the keeper McKinnon hauled him to the deck, leaving the ref no choice but to send him on a short walk to the clubhouse.
Shankland took the free kick & once again struck it well; firing it round the wall & against the base of the left hand post.
Talbot were unfortunate not to be out of sight but with only a goal in it Kilbirnie weren’t out of it & they gave Talbot a scare in the 64th minute. A corner from the right was whipped into the area & Talbot could only partially clear it. The ball came out to Scullion whose volley looked to be heading on target but was blocked away by Harvey.
The game was as good as over in the 69th minute when Talbot moved 2 goals ahead. Glasgow raced onto a ball down the right & spotting Hughes stranded off his line he went for the lob. His effort sailed over O’Byrne on the goal line & cannoned back out off the crossbar where MCILROY met it to tuck the rebound away.
Tucker now made his 1st switch with Faulds coming on in place of White.
Kilbirnie made their 2nd change of the afternoon after 73 mins with Crerand replacing McGill.
Shankland had a chance to get on the scoresheet in the 75th minute. He released Glasgow down the left & when is cross came over O’Byrne sliced his clearance. It came to McIlroy who teed it up for Shankland but he mishit his shot wide from 15 yards.
Talbot now made two further changes in quick succession with Thomson on for Shankland & then Armstrong replacing Lyle.
Two of Talbot’s subs were involved in Talbot’s next chance in the 81st minute. Pope sent Thomson away on the left & when his cross floated to the back post Faulds looked set to score as he ran onto it but steered his header wide of goal.
The 3rd goal finally arrived in the 84th minute. Thomson lifted the ball through to Glasgow down the left. He took it round the keeper, gathered the ball on the bye line before floating a cross into the centre where THOMSON beat O’Byrne to it to bundle home from close range.
Talbot added a 4th goal in the 87th minute. Thomson chased onto a ball down the left & laid it back to Pope. He whipped a cross over which FAULDS directed back across & into the bottom corner.
Within a minute Talbot wrapped the game up with their fifth of the afternoon. Pope slid the ball into Faulds inside the area & he laid it back to GLASGOW who provided the perfect finish; drilling the ball inside the right post from 20 yards.
This was a great way for Talbot to end their run of poor results against Kilbirnie, with a comprehensive win that does the goal difference no harm. Next week Talbot travel through to Townhead to face Cumnock in the Scottish & with both sides in good form it promises to be a lively afternoon.Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, Harvey, White, S Wilson, Hyslop, McIlroy, Glasgow, ShanklandSubs – Armstrong, Thomson, Faulds, McCracken, Hewitt (gk)

Kilbirnie Ladeside – K Hughes, C Hughes, Mackinnon, Bembo, O’Byrne, Juskowiak, McGill, Touhy, Finlay, Scullion, Williamson

Subs – Roberts, Crerand, Stokes, Halliday, Wilton