Tired legs finally caught up with Talbot as they lost at home to Pollok in the penultimate fixture of the league campaign. Now the title chase will go down to the last day when Talbot make the short trip through to Cumnock needing a win to claim the title.
Talbot started the game in fine fettle & had a decent chance to take the lead in the 3rd minute. Glasgow paced away from Wharton down the left & cut it back across goal. It came to McIlroy with his back to goal & he was able to turn on it but sclaffed a left foot shot wide of the far post.
Two minutes later Talbot had the first effort on target. Hyslop’s ball up the centre found McIlroy just outside the penalty area & he carried it forward before stabbing a low shot on target that Longmuir held.
The Bot kept up the pressure & had a near miss again in the 7th minute when Glasgow cut in off the left & swept a dangerous cross over to the back post which just cleared the head of McIlroy before being gathered by Longmuir.
For all Talbot’s early running it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 10th minute in their first attack. White won the ball in midfield but then gave possession away with a sloppy pass. Forde slid an early pass out right to release GARY MCCANN into space & he raced into the box, rounded Leishman, and rolled it into the empty net.
Talbot tried to get straight back into it & their next attack saw Glasgow bursting through on the left but he was just beaten to the ball by Longmuir. The game was then held up for a spell to allow treatment to the Lok keeper.
The pressure was soon back on the Lok rear-guard and Talbot came within a whisker of levelling when Graham Wilson met his brother’s square ball across goal & thumped a shot off the crossbar which a defender scrambled behind. When Glasgow’s corner came over Longmuir couldn’t claim it at the near post & it came to GORDON POPE at the far side of 6-yard box & he drilled a low shot home to make it 1-1 with 20 minutes gone.
Talbot’s tails were up again & they had a good spell of pressure. Pope directed a good cross to the back post which just flew over Hyslop’s head and a few minutes later McIlroy climbed to meet Pope’s cross only to see his header deflected wide off Wharton. When the corner came over Longmuir did well to punch it clear at the back post.
On the half hour mark Graham Wilson hit the woodwork for the 2nd time. He raced onto a ball down the left & hit it early, driving a shot off the top of the bar & over for a goal kick.
A minute later Graham Wilson forced a good stop from Longmuir when he got his head on the end of a cross from the right; the Lok keeper diving low to his left to keep it out.
Pollok threatened again in the 33rd minute when G McCann squared the ball across to Forde & he drilled a low shot on target that Leishman held inside his left post.
The visitors regained the lead in the 34th minute. They won a corner down the left which McCluskey played into the centre. Hyslop headed it clear but the ball came out to G MCCANN who arrowed a shot into the bottom corner past Leishman’s left hand to put Pollok 2-1 ahead.
Talbot re-gathered themselves and pushed forward again to find a way back into the game. It ought to have been all square three minutes from the end of the half. Glasgow cut in off the wing & curled the perfect cross into the centre. Hyslop looked certain to nod home but got too much on it and headed over the bar and so Pollok went in a goal to the good.
The 2nd half proved a half too far for Talbot & right from the off it was Pollok who made most of the running. McPherson received a yellow card in the 49th minute for a trip just outside the area. When the free kick was whipped across goal White headed it clear.
Pollok threatened again in the 53rd minute when McCluskey nearly got on the end of a diagonal pass but Leishman was swiftly off his line to gather.
Talbot had a real chance to grab an equaliser in the 55th minute. Graham Wilson was played in down the left & looked set to pull the trigger from 15 yards but instead opted to square the ball across for McIlroy allowing the defence to intercept.
McCracken became the 2nd Bot player cautioned when he received a yellow card for a trip in midfield on the hour mark.
The Bot fans had an inkling it wasn’t going to be our day in the 66th minute when Longmuir produced an outstanding save. Glasgow picked the ball up in the centre & had the time to carry it forward before unleashing a thunderbolt of a shot that looked in all the way; until Longmuir dived to his right to touch it away.
Tucker made a change in the 68th minute with Shankland coming on for White.
As the game wore on it became apparent that Talbot were running on empty & Pollok began to press. A 3rd goal would have killed the game off and Pollok nearly nabbed it in the 74th minute. G McCann waltzed in off the left & evaded a couple of challenges inside the area before squeezing off a shot for goal. It was heading in but Graham Wilson got back to make a goal line clearance.
A minute later and Pollok hit the woodwork when McGregor lobbed the ball across the face of goal and saw it hit off the face of the bar.
Talbot now made a 2nd change with Armstrong replacing McIlroy.
Shankland had a half chance to get Talbot back on level terms in the 83rd minute. Graham Wilson met Stephen Wilson’s cross from the right & he teed it up for Shankland 20 yards out but he was leaning back as he struck it & sent his shot high over the bar.
Five minutes from time Pollok had a chance to extend their lead. They won a free kick on the left when Armstrong was penalised for a trip on Gallacher. The free kick was flighted into the centre where ex-Bot favourite Young ran onto it unchallenged but he got underneath it & scooped his header well over.
Pollok ran the clock down in the closing stages with a couple of late substitutions; McCluskey receiving a caution in injury time for time-wasting as he left the field.
A disappointing result but the league still remains in Talbot’s own hands and now they know exactly what’s required on the final day. All thoughts of the league will be banished for now though as Talbot enjoy a week of rest before facing Hurlford next Sunday at Rugby Park in the Scottish Final.Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, S Wilson, Hyslop, White, Glasgow, McIlroy, G Wilson

Subs – Shankland, Armstrong, Pooler, Thomson, Harvey

Pollok – Longmuir, Niang, Sideserf, Wharton, Gallacher, McGregor, G McCann, McCluskey, S McCann, Forde, Young

Subs – Byrne, Brash, Rowan, Hepburn, Johnson