BOYD DOUBLE SEALS THE POINTS

Report: Murray Steele, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Ross Newlands.

Talbot got back to winning ways with a deserved victory over Pollok at Beechwood.

The Bot got off to a shaky start with the visitors doing the early pressing. In the 5th minute Main had a half chance from the edge of the area but saw his shot blocked.

Pollok should have taken the lead in the 12th minute. A ball up the right went behind off Wilson’s head for a Lok corner. The corner was taken short and whipped into the near post where Gow steered a free header over the bar from 5 yards out.

A minute later down the other end Gillies swept a deep cross over from the left which Thomson met beyond the back post. He cushioned it back across goal where it broke off a defender and behind for a corner which Talbot failed to make the most of.

In the 16th minute Talbot went close to taking the lead. A shy from the left found Boyd inside the area and he did well to cut inside on his right foot and drill a shot just over the crossbar.

Black became the first name in the notebook a minute later when he was cautioned for a trip out on the touchline.

Pollok’s next attack saw Tran knock a dangerous cross in from the left which was well defended by Schoneville who headed it out to safety.

The opening goal came Talbot’s way with 21 mins gone. Langan squared it across to find Schoneville bursting forward. He pinged it into the area where CONNOR BOYD took a good 1st touch to take him away from his marker before slotting the ball low past the keeper.

The visitors looked for an early response and had an effort on target in the 24th minute when Docherty latched onto a headed clearance but his low drive from 16 yards went straight at Armour.

In the 34th minute McAvoy combined well with Boyd – flicking the ball on to release him down the left but Boyd’s ball back across goal for McAvoy was too close to Truesdale who cut it out.

Shortly before the interval the ball fell for Main 20 yards out but he blazed his shot well over. Down the other end Talbot had a half chance when Thomson released McPherson on the overlap. His ball back across was cut out but broke to Thomson who switched inside onto his left foot and fired wide from 18 yards and the sides went off with Talbot a goal to the good.

Pollok had a chance to level 2 minutes after the restart. Lapsley’s ball up the right found Docherty in space and when he played it across the area it ran through to Tran who fired it into the side-netting.

Talbot then threatened down the other end. McPherson played it on to Thomson whose cross was met by Boyd but he couldn’t get enough on it and glanced his header across goal and wide.

The Bot doubled their lead in the 52nd minute. Thomson cut in off the right and angled a pinpoint cross to the far post to pick out the unmarked McAvoy. He cushioned a header back across goal to Gillies who looked a cert to score only to be denied by a good stop from Truesdale but the keeper was helpless to prevent CONNOR BOYD who had followed it in to tap home the rebound.

Pollok now pushed bodies forward but without really looking like scoring. On the hour mark they won a free kick 30 yards out which saw Sime booked. Forde took it but sent his shot straight into the wall.

The visitors did have the ball in the net in the 63rd minute but the celebrations were short lived as the stand side assistant’s flag went up straight away.

Pollok now made a change with Gaffney coming on for Black.

Forrester became the 2nd Lok player in the ref’s notebook when he received a caution for a shirt tug on halfway.

Another Talbot goal would’ve killed the game off and the Bot had a chance to nab it in the 69th minute. McAvoy & Boyd did well down the left before the ball was squared across the area to find Thomson in space 12 yards out. He took a touch before hitting it and a defender was able to get back to deflect it over the bar for a corner. The corner was taken short back to Langan whose cross into the back post was just nicked away. It came out to Gillies on the left of the area who angled it across goal. Truesdale flapped at it and it came to Sime beyond the far post but the angle proved too tight and all he could do was guide it back into the goal mouth where it was eventually cleared.

Talbot now made a double change with Thomson & Sime making way for Boyle & Abed. Pollok also made a further change with Gallacher on for Duncanson.

In the 72nd minute a cushioned header back found Abed in the area but just as he went to hit it a defender slid it to put it behind for the corner.

In the 76th minute Docherty received a yellow card for a late challenge on Schoneville out on the left. Schoneville took the resultant free kick and flighted it high into the area. Truesdale came for it but got nowhere near it; however it didn’t break Talbot’s way and the defence were able to scramble clear.

Two minutes later Boyle won the ball in the Lok half and carried it forward before firing it wide of target.

Ten minutes from time Pollok made their final change with O’Donnell on in place of Tran.

The Bot came very close to putting the game to bed in their next attack. Abed sped up the right and crossed it into the centre where McAvoy looked set to meet it with a diving header but a defender just managed to get a touch to take it away from him and behind for a corner. When the corner came over McPherson met it at the back post and powered a header on target that had the keeper well beaten but was headed off the line and onto the crossbar by a defender and Talbot then saw a subsequent shot from the rebound blocked en route to goal.

With 3 minutes remaining Talbot made another change with Nimmo on for McAvoy.

The Bot support were ensured of a nervy ending when Pollok pulled one back a minute from time. O’Donnell forced a corner down the right and when the ball came over the defence were caught flat footed as MAIN bundled it home from close range at the near post.

As the game headed into added time Talbot had another chance to put the game away. Nimmo pounced on a slip by a Lok defender to get away down the left. He whipped a cross into the centre but it was marginally behind Boyd who couldn’t direct his header on target.

Deep into added time Pollok’s manager was cautioned for dissent after challenging the decision not to award them a late corner and the final whistle blew as Armour took the goal kick.

A much improved performance from Talbot which sees the Bot climb to 7th in the table. Next up Talbot are back in cup action when they host Larkhall Thistle in the 5th round of the South Challenge cup.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Schoneville, Wilson, Slooves, Langan, Sime, Gillies, Boyd, McAvoy, Thomson

Subs – Nimmo, Abed, Boyle, Walker, Healey, Kerr, Miller

Pollok – Truesdale, Duncanson, Forrester, Gow, Main, Forde, Docherty, Lapsley, Tran, Black, Bain

Subs – O’Donnell, Gallacher, Gaffney, Fry (gk)