Auchinleck Talbot v Lochee United

Report

Photographs by Paul Flynn.

MURRAYS REPORT

Talbot paid the penalty for failing to convert a penalty as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Lochee that leaves the Bot down but not out.
Talbot started the game strongly and had a decent chance to take the lead after 4 minutes. Shankland robbed a Lochee player of the ball midway inside their half before feeding the ball onto Graham Wilson. He laid it out left to send Glasgow clean through but he drilled his shot straight into the side-netting.
The next goal threat came in the 14th minute when Shankland whipped a superb cross in from the left touchline that Lunan headed over his own bar.
Pope had an effort on target in the 18th minute. His first effort was blocked straight back to him & he fired a shot straight at Fotheringham on his weaker right foot.
Lochee hadn’t offered any real threat but they did give the home fans a nervy moment in the 23rd minute. Lawson knocked a dangerous cross in from the right that had Lyle in difficulties. He mishit his clearance, sending it out wide to Cameron who cut it across the area to McComiskie and his shot took two deflections before spinning behind for the corner.
The visitors were content to sit in and Talbot were struggling to make to any impression as the minutes ticked by without either keeper being called into action.
In the 39th minute Lochee gave the home fans a fright thanks to a long punt up the right. There seemed little danger but when Leishman came out to the edge of his area to take it, he misjudged the bounce of the ball as it spun past him but he did well to recover; diving back to take it.
Smith had his name taken in the 44th minute, not so much for his foul on Graham Wilson, as for an accumulation of offences.
In the final minute of what had been a fairly drab 1st half Fotheringham produced a save of the season contender to prevent Talbot taking the lead. White squared the ball across to Pope who let fly from 30 yards. His shot was screaming into the top corner until Fotheringham flew through the air to tip it over the bar, and so the sides went in all square at the interval.
Whatever Tucker said during the break perked the team up and Talbot came out all guns blazing at the start of the 2nd half. A nice passing move ended with Pope sending Shankland free on the left. He drilled it low first time across the face of goal where Lunan blazed it inches over his own bar.
Talbot were awarded a penalty in the 51st minute. Shankland whipped a corner in from the left & Harvey was pulled down as he tried to get on the end of it. The referee pointed to the spot and booked Lunan for the shirt tug.
Stephen Wilson stepped up to take the penalty but his spot kick was at a good height for the keeper and Fotheringham dived to his right to turn it away.
Undeterred by this setback, Talbot kept pushing forward and came close again a minute later. Glasgow cut in off the right & traversed across the area before firing a left foot shot that Fotheringham did well to turn past his right post.
It was all Talbot at this stage and the Bot threatened again in the 58th minute. Stephen Wilson out-paced Kirk & lifted a deep cross beyond the far post which Shankland met 1st time on the volley, only to see his shot blocked away by McNally.
Talbot had a let off on the hour mark. Cameron knocked the ball out left to find Lawson in space & his cutback went straight into the path of Deasley in front of goal but he snatched at the chance & mishit a tame effort straight at Leishman.
Graham Wilson had his name taken in the 63rd minute for persistent fouling.
Talbot’s next goal threat came in the 67th minute when Shankland gathered on the left & fed it back to Pope whose cross cum shot swerved just wide of the far post.
Tucker made a change in the 71st minute with McIlroy coming on in place of Graham Wilson.
The next opportunity for Talbot came via a corner kick. Shankland pulled the ball back to meet the run of Stephen Wilson & his low drive was blocked inside the 6-yard area by a Lochee defender.
Lochee now made a change with Birse replacing Deasley.
As the game moved into the closing stages Talbot kept pushing forward looking for a late winner. In the 85th minute Lyle went galloping down the right touchline before pulling the back across the area. Shankland latched onto it & attempted to curl a right foot shot into the top corner. It looked to be heading in but Lunan was in the right spot to deflect it over the bar off the top of his head.
In the 89th minute Talbot again came close. Glasgow turned smartly inside the area & drilled a low shot at goal. It took a deflection off McIlroy and with Fotheringham already going the other way it looked like it may be trickling into the net but the keeper recovered to dive to his left to smother the ball.
The Bot were back on the attack moments later. White powered a shot at goal from the edge of the box which was once again blocked by the head of Lunan. The ball span high in the air and Fotheringham had to help it over the bar.
The game looked to be heading for a stalemate but in the 2nd minute of added time a moment of defensive slackness allowed the visitors to snatch a late win. The Bot defence were caught square trying to play offside & BIRSE timed his run to race onto a ball chipped through the centre & slot it low into the bottom corner.
A tough one to take for Talbot and their fans but the tie is still far from over and Talbot will travel through to Lochee next Saturday with everything still to play for.