Report

Talbot kept their winning streak going with a 4-1 win over Muirkirk to book their place in the 2^nd round of the West of Scotland cup.

The Bot nearly opened the scoring in the 2^nd minute. Taylor played it through the centre to find Samson but he was stretching as he hit and prodded it just wide of the left post.

In the 8^th minute Aiden Wilson forced a corner out on the left and when Taylor’s low driven corner kick came over NEIL MCPHERSON met it to side-foot it home.

The visitors had an effort on target in the 14^th minute. McPherson cleared O’Neill’s ball into the area but it came out to Collins at the edge of the box and he drilled a low shot on goal that Leishman smothered.

Crawford had a chance to double Talbot’s lead in the 17^th minute after Boyle conceded a needless corner. When the corner came over from the right Crawford met it 6 yards out but powered his header over the bar.

In the 23^rd minute Bogle produced a good save to prevent Talbot moving further ahead. Stafford drove forward before squaring the ball inside to Taylor. He slid it right to find Crawford breaking into the area and his strike was turned round the left post.

The Muirkirk keeper did well again two minutes later. Leishman bowled it out to Wardrope on the right touchline and he hit a quick diagonal pass looking to find Taylor as he raced forward but Bogle was quickly off his line to clear.

Talbot were forced into a change in the 34^th minute when Wardrope took a knock and left the field to be replaced by Graham Wilson.

Crawford had his name taken a minute later for a shirt tug on O’Neill. Clark took the resultant free kick and curled it into the goal mouth where McPherson headed clear.

In the final minute of the half Taylor gathered out on the left and passed it inside to Samson who in turn teed it up for Shankland who drove it over the bar from 20 yards and the sides went in with Talbot a goal ahead.

Talbot made a positive start to the 2^nd half with Taylor skinning his man down the left and sliding it inside for Samson who fell foul of a marginal offside call.

In the 49^th minute Armstrong’s ball in behind found Samson racing down the left and his ball across goal was bundled behind for a corner by Boyle at the back post. When the corner came in McPherson met it and his header was cleared off the line just inside the left post.

Muirkirk gave the small band of travelling fans something to shout about when they grabbed the equaliser in the 50^th minute. The defence didn’t clear a ball into the area and as it broke off a defender it landed at the feet of COLLINS on the left of the box and he placed it into the top corner to make it 1-1.

The loss of the goal galvanised Talbot and they moved back in front in the 53^rd minute. Stafford was fouled out by the touchline and when Shankland whipped the free kick into the box KIER SAMSON swept it home from close range.

Clark then picked up a caution for a late sliding tackle on Taylor as he broke forward.

In the 57^th minute Talbot won a free kick 30 yards from goal out on the right following a foul on Shankland. He took it himself and delivered it beyond the back post where NEIL MCPHERSON met it to squeeze a header inside the right post from a tight angle.

On the hour mark Muirkirk made a change with Gray coming on for Hay.

Talbot were controversially reduced to 10 men in the 62^nd minute. Armstrong went into a full blooded challenge on Wight which seemed hard but fair, taking the ball first, but the referee shocked the home fans when he produced a straight red.

The loss didn’t change the momentum of the game and Talbot continued to push forward and nearly added to their lead in the 65^th minute. Graham Wilson hit the bye line before pulling it back to Taylor who saw his first effort blocked and his subsequent attempt cleared off the line.

Muirkirk made a triple change in the 66^th minute with Peck, Monan and McLean coming on for Marriott, Wight and Gordon.

Taylor did well in the 70^th minute, turning Bryan inside out inside the area, before firing just wide of the right post.

A minute later Talbot did grab their 4^th goal to put the game beyond any doubt. Aiden Wilson’s cross was headed behind for a corner on the left which Shankland delivered to the back post where NEIL MCPHERSON met it unchallenged to head home for his hat-trick.

In the 76^th minute Bryan conceded a free kick 19 yards out for a barge on Samson. Shankland went for goal but his shot slipped just wide of the right post and into the side-netting.

Ten minutes from time Shankland’s disguised pass opened up the defence as Crawford raced down the right. He cut it back into the path of Samson whose shot was blocked behind for a corner.

With 7 minutes remaining Talbot made a double change. Samson and Shankland making way for the return of Boyd from injury and Fairbairn from the under 20 squad.

Fairbairn made an immediate impact bursting forward on the right before helping the ball onto Boyd who saw his shot blocked.

In the final minute of regulation time Muirkirk had a good chance to snatch a late consolation effort. Monan met O’Neill’s cross from the right but sent his header just over the bar.

Deep into injury time Fairbairn slid a pass through to Taylor inside the area and he managed to get away from a couple of challenges before hitting a low drive on target that Bogle held.

A comfortable enough win in the end for Talbot who are back on cup duty next Saturday when they host Neilston in the South Challenge cup.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Ballantyne, Armstrong, Wardrope, Taylor, Samson, Shankland, Crawford

Subs – Graham Wilson, Fairbairn, White, Mason, Boyd

Muirkirk – Bogle, Collins, Marriott, Bryan, Boyle, Rough, O’Neill, Hay, Wight, Gordon, Clark

Subs – Peck, Monan, Patton, Gray, McLean, Bishop