Report

A strong 2nd half performance saw Talbot overpower Pollok & run out comfortable winners, and the win also now means it is officially a two horse race for the title, as Hurlford are now the only team who can overhaul the Bot.
Talbot might have won a penalty in the 2nd minute when Milliken went down inside the box under Walker’s clumsy challenge but the referee waved away the appeals.
Milliken then had a good chance to put Talbot ahead in the 5th minute. G Wilson stroked a pass through the defence to find Milky clear on the left side of the area. He shot on target but his effort lacked power & Longmuir was able to block with his feet.
Two minutes later Pollok ought to have taken the lead. A swiftly taken free kick caught out the Bot defence allowing Bradley to stroll straight through on Leishman but Andy produced a superb stop to keep out his effort.
The opening goal came in the 11th minute. MILLIKEN flicked a ball inside Sideserf into space. He reacted quickest to the situation & raced onto his own pass before drilling a low shot across goal & inside Longmuir’s right post.
Pollok were looking threatening in the final third and Leishman did well to maintain Talbot’s slender lead in the 26th minute when he parried Rowan’s powerful drive behind for a corner. McAleenan swept the corner beyond the far post where Winters headed it back across goal for Bradley to flick on target but it lacked the power to test Leishman.
Milliken did well in the 28th minute, showing quick feet to create some space 22 yards out before drilling a left foot shot over the crossbar.
Pollok then equalised via route one. Longmuir’s hefty clearance went straight down the middle & bounced over McCracken. D WINTERS ran onto it & had the easy task of passing it beyond Leishman to level the score.
The goal lifted Pollok who began to dominate possession, forcing Talbot back into their own half. However, they couldn’t make their possession pay & had nothing to show for it beyond a few corners & free kicks which the Talbot defence fielded confidently.
In the final minute of the half it was Talbot who had a good chance to regain the lead. Rowan fouled Milliken just outside the penalty area & Young whipped the free kick into the centre & onto the head of McCracken but he nodded over the bar from 6 yards out.
The 1st opening of the 2nd half went the way of the visitors. Bradley got free down the right & hit a cross to the far post. White cleared it out the area where Rowan reacted quicker than S Wilson, beating him to the loose ball & firing just wide of Leishman’s left post.
D Winters picked up the first caution of the afternoon after 49 mins when he was penalised for simulation.
From the resultant free kick, G Wilson had a decent chance to put Talbot back ahead. The ball was flighted down the centre, the Lok central defence made a hash of dealing with it, and the ball broke to G Wilson 8 yards out but he lashed his shot over the bar.
Milliken came close to his 2nd of the afternoon in the 52nd minute. Hyslop slid the ball through to him & his effort was heading into the roof of the net until Longmuir tipped it over the bar.
At the other end of the field, Leishman produced an equally fine stop to deny Monti; diving to his left to turn his 25 yard shot wide of target.
Talbot made a change in the 63rd minute when Latta had to leave the field injured. Shankland came on in his place & Boyd dropped back to fill in at right-back.
McAleenan became the 2nd Lok player in the book when he was cautioned for a late challenge on Milliken.
The game was delicately poised but that all changed in the 67th minute due to a calamitous backpass from Walker. He left it woefully short & Shankland raced onto it, and rounded Longmuir who hauled him to the deck. The ref was left with little choice but to send the keeper off & point to the spot. Hanlon took over goalkeeping duties but there was little he could do to prevent G WILSON from restoring Talbot’s lead, as he thumped the penalty inside the right post.
Pollok made a change in the 72nd minute with McCabe coming on for Williamson.
Talbot came close to extending their lead in the 74th minute. Milliken won a corner on the left & Shankland curled it to the far post where Hylsop was inches from connecting.
Tucker made his 2nd change with quarter of an hour remaining, going for fresh legs up front with Love on for G Wilson and Pollok followed suit a few minutes later with Mackenzie replacing Monti.
The game was done & dusted in the 81st minute when Talbot moved 3-1 ahead. Shankland placed a cross right onto the head of HYSLOP and he did the rest, steering it inside the right post.
Talbot completed the scoring in the 84th minute. Pope threaded a ball through to find Love free on the left & he clipped it across goal for SHANKLAND to head home.
With 3 minutes remaining Talbot made their final change with Gillies on for Milliken.
This was a very good win for Talbot, not only for the 3 points but also because it helped extend their goal difference advantage over Hurlford.
Next up for Talbot is another league clash, this time with the other Junior finalist, as they travel through to Beith on Monday night.

Talbot – Leishman, Latta, Pope, White, McCracken, Boyd, Young, Hyslop, G Wilson, Milliken, S Wilson

Subs – Shankland, Love, Gillies, Findlay, Johnstone

Pollok – Longmuir, Hanlon, Sideserf, Gallacher, Walker, Rowan, Bradley, Williamson, D Winters, Monti, McAleenan

Subs – McCabe, R Winters, Mackenzie, Hepburn, Higgins