Talbot recovered well from a shaky start to book their place in the 2^nd round of the senior cup after an entertaining win at Ochilview.

The home side got off to the perfect start when they opened the scoring in the 5^th minute. It was a well-worked goal with the ball switched out to the right touchline to Hilton who quickly squared it across for FOTHERINGHAM to sweep it past Leishman and inside the right hand post from 22 yards.

The goal sparked a response from the Bot and Wardrope came close in the 8^th minute when he drilled a low effort just wide of the left hand post.

Syngenta weren’t just there to make up the numbers and they gave Talbot another scare in the 10^th minute. Hilton got past Wilson down the right and lifted a deep cross to the far post which Crawford headed away. It came to Rodgers and he fired wide of the right post.

Down the other end Boylan had a decent chance to pull Talbot level in the 11^th minute. The home defence didn’t deal with a shy in from the right and it came to Boylan 12 yards out but he didn’t catch his shot cleanly and it scuttled its way straight at the keeper.

A minute later Wardrope had an effort on target from 20 yards but once again it failed to test Duffy.

In the 18^th minute Talbot won a set piece in a decent area – 30 yards from goal – out on the left. Wardrope bent it over beyond the far post but no Bot player could get on the end of it.

Two minutes later Wardrope clipped a ball over the defence for Boylan to chase. He got to it on the right of the area but could only fire well over the bar from a tight angle.

The referee then produced two yellow cards in quick succession – firstly booking Samson and moments later cautioning a Syngenta player for kicking the ball away.

Talbot kept plugging away and put together a decent move in the 28^th minute. Some neat passing ended with Mason laying it off into the path of Healy at the edge of the area but he pulled his shot and it cannoned off Wardope and straight to the keeper.

On the half hour mark Crawford raced down the right and fired a great ball across that was well cleared inside the 6-yard area.

A minute later Talbot’s pressure paid off as they levelled the score. The Bot were awarded a free kick just outside the box for a trip on Samson. Wardrope’s effort hit off the top of the defensive wall and spun out to the right where Boylan retrieved it and hooked it across goal where AARON MASON steered a low shot inside the right post.

The goal lifted Talbot up a level and they pushed hard to gain the lead. Two minutes from the interval Crawford broke up the right and slid it square to Wardrope in space 20 yards out but his shot sailed straight at Duffy.

Within a minute Boylan burst clear on the right and fired a good cross over to the far post where Mason met it but it had too much pace on it for him to control his header.

Just as it looked as though the sides were going in level Talbot moved ahead in the last minute of the half. Samson cut in off the right and drove into the penalty area before firing a shot on target that Duffy had to tip over. When the corner came over the defence failed to clear and after a bout of headie tennis the ball was gathered by Wardrope near the bye line and he floated a cross over to the back post where KIER SAMSON nodded it home to send Talbot in 2-1 ahead at the interval.

Mason picked up a soft caution early in the 2^nd half when he was adjudged to have impeded Duffy as he went to clear it.

The Bot nearly moved two goals ahead in the 52^nd minute. Boylan met a cross from the right and his header came back off the crossbar and out to Samson whose header on target was saved by Duffy.

Moments later Talbot came close again. Wardrope gathered on the left before sliding a pass inside to Mason whose fierce drive was tipped over the bar by Duffy.

It had been all Talbot since the break but the home side put together a good break down the right in the 59^th minute which ended with Leishman safely gathering a cross in his goal mouth.

On the hour mark Talbot had a decent opportunity to extend their lead. Samson cut inside, beating a couple of men for pace before cutting it back into the path of Wardrope who fired a shot on target but straight at Duffy.

Two minutes later Talbot’s efforts were rewarded with a 3^rd goal. Boylan gathered wide on the right and angled a short pass inside to Wardrope who burst forward into the box before squaring it across for KIER SAMSON to pass it into the net.

Syngenta now decided to throw caution to the wind and made a double switch with Johnson and Sheridan joining the fray.

Another goal for Talbot would’ve killed it off and the Bot threatened to grab it in the 69^th minute. Wardrope switched play to find Boylan in space on the right and he stepped in onto his left foot and angled a shot on target that Duffy saved low to his right. The ball came out to Mason and he played it back into the centre where Samson met it but his scissor kick flew straight at the keeper.

Talbot looked to be cruising to the win but the game was thrown back into the melting pot when Syngenta pulled a goal back out of nowhere in the 73^rd minute. The Bot defence were slow to react to a ball in from the left which broke to SHERIDAN and he buried a low drive inside the left hand post from 22 yards.

Tucker made a double change in the 79^th minute with Glasgow coming on for Mason and Park replacing the injured Healy.

In the 80^th minute Samson fired over a great ball from wide on the left but the Syngenta defence proved equal to the task and cut it out in the centre.

The Bot then made another enforced change as Crawford limped from the field to be replaced by Taylor.

As the game moved into the closing stages Talbot were still pushing forward looking to finish the tie off. Glasgow had a chance to put the game beyond doubt in the 86^th minute when he found himself with time and space at the edge of the area. He tried to place it and his effort was blocked off a defender.

One minute from the end of normal time Talbot grabbed their fourth to settle matters. Glasgow gathered in the centre and ran at the defence before sliding the ball to his right to find Samson. He returned the ball back across goal where JAMIE GLASGOW had continued his run to place it beyond Duffy.

A good game for the neutral to enjoy and a good result for the Bot who now await Sunday’s 2^nd round draw. Next up for Talbot it is back to cup action as they travel through to Springburn to face Rossvale in the Scottish Junior cup.

Syngenta – Duffy, Rodger, Cowan, Taggart, Fitzpatrick, Glackin, Fotheringham, Walton, Rodgers, Robertson, White

Subs – Johnson, Erskine, Mooney, Armstrong, Sheridan, Smith

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, A Wilson, McPherson, Crawford, Healy, Wardrope, Ballantyne, Boylan, Samson, Mason

Subs – Glasgow, Taylor, Park, Shankland, Lennox, Hewitt