Report

Photographs by Paul Flynn.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot continued with their winning streak thanks to a hard fought 3-1 win over the Buffs.

The Bot nearly got off to a flier in the 2nd minute. Leishman launched a free kick down the centre where Graham Wilson beat Whyte in the air. He glanced it out to the right to find Stephen Wilson in space & he drilled a shot just over the bar.

The Buffs defence were found wanting at Talbot’s next set piece in the 6th minute. A free kick was flighted into the area where Graham Wilson flicked it across goal. Harvey ran onto it in front of goal but couldn’t make enough contact to knock it past Strain.

It was all Talbot in the early stages & Kemp tried a cheeky effort in the 7th minute; attempting to lob it home from 30 yards when the ball came to him on the right but he didn’t get enough behind it & Strain was able to backpedal & claim it.

The next chance also came Talbot’s way. A swift counter saw Graham Wilson racing free down the left & making a beeline for the box. Only Whyte stood between him & a clear run on Strain but the defender timed his challenge perfectly to steal possession.

The Kilwinning goal had a lucky escape in the 16th minute when Talbot came close twice in quick succession. Pope had Strain beaten all ends up with his rasping drive from the left of the area that cannoned off the right hand post. It rebounded across the 6-yard area where Hyslop sidefooted it on target only for Maitland to clear it off the line.

Kilwinning’s 1st meaningful foray into the Talbot half came after 23 mins. Boylan hared free down the right touchline & played a good ball across goal which Lyle shepherded behind for a corner.

Talbot’s next glimpse of goal came in the 27th min when Graham Wilson met a free kick from the left to glance a header over the bar.

The visitors gave Talbot a scare on the half hour mark when the Bot were caught napping at a short corner. The ball was pulled back to Lewis who burst into the left side of the penalty area & fired over from 15 yards.

The Talbot defence were put to the test in the 34th min when Harvey conceded a free kick just outside the right edge of the box for a foul on Curragh. Monti took it & swung a dangerous cross into the centre where Pope climbed to head it clear.

The opening goal came Talbot’s way in the 35th minute. McPherson brought it out from the back & slid a pass out to Kemp on the right. He attempted to thread a pass through to Stephen Wilson that was partially blocked. The ball ran through toward goal & STEPHEN WILSON reacted first to get on the end of it & prod it past Strain from close range.

Two minutes later Stephen Wilson had a chance for his second. He raced onto a pass through the centre & knocked it past Strain who had rushed out his area but Maitland recovered to beat him to it & knock it behind for a corner.

Boylan had his name taken in the 38th minute for a late challenge on Shankland on the left wing. Shankland took the free kick & angled a great ball across goal. Hyslop was inches from connecting in front of goal & Strain did well to push it wide of the left post.

Lewis joined Boylan in the ref’s notebook in the 40th minute for a late tackle on Hyslop.

Talbot had a chance to extend their lead in the 41st minute. A short corner was worked to Shankland whose in swinging cross found Graham Wilson 6 yards out but he could only glance his header wide.

Down the other end Talbot were nearly caught out a minute later. A corner from the left flew across the face of goal with no takers. McPherson tried to shield it out for a goal kick but Nisbet managed to nip in & steal it. He cut it back toward Pettigrew whose low drive was diverted behind.

Kilwinning took the corner quickly & Pope conceded a free kick just wide of the area and picked up a booking into the bargain for a trip. Monti delivered the ball beyond the back post & Maitland headed it back across goal where White cleared.

In the final minute of the half Nisbet received a yellow card for a poor tackle on Lyle. Shankland whipped a tremendous free kick into the centre where Kemp just failed to connect. The ball spun up into the air 6 yards out where both sides tussled for it & the referee took the easy option & awarded a free kick to the defending side and so Talbot went in a goal to the good at the interval.

Talbot started the 2nd half strongly & very nearly doubled their lead in the 47th minute. Shankland floated a free kick down the centre which the defence could only clear out to the edge of the area. It came to White who steered a shot for goal that flew just wide of the left post.

Two mins later Talbot had another chance. A shy from the right broke into the path of Kemp. He burst forward but chose the wrong option; trying to square it across goal rather than shooting.

The Buffs won a free kick in a good area in the 50th minute when Boylan was obstructed just outside the box. Monti lifted it up & over the wall but Leishman got across to his left to turn it over the bar.

Talbot won a free kick in a very similar position when Kemp was bundled over. Shankland took it & fired a shot over the bar.

Kilwinning now made their 1st change with Wardrope coming on for Nisbet.

The two sides picked up a further caution apiece with Lyle having his name taken for a foul out by the touchline & Whyte following him into the book soon after for a shirt tug on Graham Wilson.

The visitors levelled the score on the hour mark. Two Bot players went for the same ball in the air & only succeeded in diverting the ball out to Boylan. He shoved it out left to WARDROPE who cut inside on his right foot & bent an unstoppable shot inside Leishman’s left post.

Tucker responded by making a change with Glasgow replacing Kemp.

Wardrope joined his teammates in the ref’s notepad when he was guilty of a blatant foul in the 63rd minute.

Kilwinning now opted to make a further change with McKenzie on in place of Whyte.

The Buffs were having a good spell & had a half chance to take the lead in the 70th minute. Boylan fired over a cross that the defence could only head out as far as Lewis. He met it 18 yards out but drilled a low shot straight at Leishman.

Tucker now made another change with McIlroy on for Shankland.

Just when the game appeared to be drifting away Talbot hit Kilwinning with a double whammy.

Talbot regained the lead in the 75th minute.The Buffs defence was undone by a simple ball lifted down the middle.GRAHAM WILSON raced onto it inside the area & knocked it round Strain before slotting the ball into the empty net.

Before the dust had time to settle Talbot grabbed their 3rd. The Bot won a corner down the left & when it was delivered to the back post DWAYNE HYSLOP rose to power a header on goal that Strain got a hand to but couldn’t keep out.

Both sides now made their final changes, Kilwinning bringing McGuinness on for Fleming & Talbot replacing Pope with Armstrong.

White received a caution in the 82nd minute for a foul on Pettigrew.

The visitors were dealt a body blow in the 84th minute. McKenzie cut in off the left & fired a shot for goal that took a deflection en route & landed tamely at Leishman. Meanwhile Wardrope had crumpled to the turf 6 yards out with no one near him.It wasn’t apparent what had happened but as he lay prostrate in the box it became obvious he had picked up a serious injury. The game was halted for quarter of an hour whilst he was tended to before being stretchered off to the accompaniment of a round of applause from both sets of supporters.

When the game eventually re-started it had an anticlimactic feel to it with the crowd still subdued after the injury.

As the game entered the closing stages Talbot might have added to their lead on a couple of occasions.

Firstly Hyslop had a headed chance from Glasgow’s corner but this time he headed over from 6 yards out.

Then Glasgow went on a mazy run, cutting in off the left past several challenges before sliding the ball to Stephen Wilson. He in turn laid it back to Glasgow whose low drive was smothered by Strain.

A good win & 3 points for Talbot which keeps them on the tail of early pacesetters Hurlford. Next up for Talbot is the long road north as they literally travel the length & breadth of the country to face Wick Academy of the Highland League in the Senior cup.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvey, McPherson, S Wilson, White, Hyslop, G Wilson, Kemp, Shankland

Subs – McIlroy, Glasgow, Armstrong, McDowall, McCracken

Kilwinning Rangers – Strain, Maitland, McLevy, Pettigrew, Whyte, Fleming, Monti, Lewis, Curragh, Nisbet, Boylan

Subs – McGuinness, Wardrope, McKenzie, McCloskey, Hill