Report

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Beechwood’s largest crowd of the season saw Talbot arguably produce their best performance of the season to brush Pollok aside 4-1 & march onto into the quarter-finals of the Scottish.
It took Talbot a little time to settle & the visitors made the early running. Leishman was called into action in the 4th minute when Wharton hurled a long throw into the goalmouth that he had to punch clear. The ball came back out to Wharton he drove it low across goal where Leishman smothered it.
A minute later Pollok won a free kick in a dangerous area when Gormley was caught just outside the right edge of the penalty area. Forde took it & whipped it up & over the wall but Leishman was well positioned & took it comfortably.
Talbot had another scare in the 8th minute when Rowan clipped the top of the crossbar as he swung an over hit cross over from the right touchline.
Gradually, Talbot settled & began to threaten the Lok goal. The Bot’s first real chance came in the 16th minute. Under pressure, Wharton intercepted McIlroy’s ball across the area & passed it back to Longmuir who was forced to handle it. The ref awarded Talbot an indirect free kick 6 yards out. Shankland touched it to Graham Wilson & his fierce drive was deflected over the bar off a posse of Lok players in the goalmouth.
Shankland lifted the corner over where Hyslop got a head to it & it came back out wide to Shankland on the right. He took it 1st time on the volley & Longmuir made an excellent stop to turn it round his left hand post. Shankland again took the corner & flighted it into the centre where Pollok failed to clear their lines. The ball broke to Stephen Wilson who was upended by Young as he tried to clear & the ref pointed to the spot. STEPHEN WILSON took the spot kick & placed it low inside the right post to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

Talbot’s next attack saw the Bot win a free kick out on the right after Graham Wilson was fouled by Gallacher. Shankland whipped the ball over & Stephen Wilson glanced a header wide of the far post.
Pollok had a half chance in the 24th minute courtesy of Wharton’s looping long shy into the area. It glanced off Harvey’s head & came to Forde 6 yards out but he couldn’t generate any power behind his header & Leishman saved easily.
Brash became the 1st man in the book in the 26th minute when he was guilty of a reckless tackle on Hyslop.
That proved to be the Lok midfielder’s last contribution as he limped off a few minutes later to be replaced by Little.
The Lok defence got into a fankle at a Bot corner kick in the 32nd minute. Shankland hit it deep beyond the far post where Stephen Wilson guided it back across goal. Gormley mishit his attempted clearance, shanking it on target, but fortunately for Lok it came to Longmuir who knocked it clear.
Talbot doubled their lead in the 42nd minute via a wonder strike from Pope. Hyslop gathered the ball on the right & squared it across to GORDON POPE 25 yards out & he hammered a drive past Longmuir to make it 2-0.
Both sides had chances late on in the half. Firstly, Talbot threatened to put the game beyond Lok’s reach. Pope lifted a ball up the left for Graham Wilson which he controlled before rolling it back toward Shankland just inside the area but he was leaning back as he struck it & lifted his shot over the bar.
In the closing seconds of the half Forde had a similar opportunity just outside the Bot penalty box but he also leant back as he hit it & scooped his shot well over & so Talbot went in two ahead at the interval.
Pollok made a change at half-time with McCluskey coming on for Wharton.

The Bot started the 2nd half brightly, playing on the front foot, looking for a 3rd goal to kill the tie off.
In the 49th minute Stephen Wilson headed Leishman’s clearance down into the path of Graham Wilson but he lashed his shot over from 25 yards.
Two minutes later the Wilson brothers combined again. Stephen lifted the ball down the right to find Graham in space & he squared it into the centre to find Shankland who curled a shot over the bar.
Pollok came close in the 53rd minute to pulling a goal back. Leishman came off his line to punch a corner clear but it came out to Little 20 yards out & his shot was sailing into the roof of the net until Leishman dived to his left to tip it round the post.
A swift Talbot counter in the 56th minute was abruptly ended by Niang when he tripped Graham Wilson just outside the box to end his surging run, resulting in a booking for the Lok defender. Shankland took the set piece & was inches away from extending Talbot’s lead as his shot cannoned off the postage stamp corner with Longmuir well beaten.
White became the 1st Bot player to receive a caution when he was booked in the 58th minute for obstruction as he broke up a Lok attack.
It could have been game over on the hour mark. Hyslop fed the ball to Stephen Wilson inside the box & he teed it up perfectly for Graham Wilson but he blazed it over the bar from 15 yards out.
Leishman produced his 2nd impressive stop of the afternoon in the 63rd minute to deny ex-Bot player Gormley. Little whipped in a good cross from the left that fell kindly for Gormley 12 yards out, he struck it well enough back across goal but Leishman reacted sharply to throw out his right hand to claw it away.
Shankland picked up a needless yellow card in the 65th minute for kicking the ball away.
Both sides now made a switch, firstly Tucker brought on Thomson to replace White & then Pollok brought on Hepburn in place of Forde.
Talbot’s next foray into the Lok box saw McIlroy power his way down the left & fire a shot from a tight angle that Longmuir had to block at his near post.

The Lok keeper kept their hopes alive in the 72nd minute when he prevented Graham Wilson from putting Talbot three ahead. McIlroy won the ball outside the area & played it into the feet of Shankland who in turn switched it 1st time to Wilson. He cut across on his left foot & angled a shot for a far corner that Longmuir blocked with his outstretched left leg.
Hepburn received a caution in the 76th minute for a frankly embarrassing dive; throwing himself to the deck in a desperate attempt to con a penalty.
A minute later Pollok won a free kick within shooting range. Rowan squared the ball for Young to run onto & he was caught by Thomson. Gormley took it but tamely passed it back to Leishman.
Talbot now made a further change with Glasgow coming on for McIlroy.
In the 83rd minute Pollok pulled a goal back. A corner from the left was played into the near post where YOUNG met it with a diving header to make it 2-1.
Talbot responded in the best possible way to this setback, immediately going down the other end, and restoring their two goal lead. Gallacher appeared to shove Graham Wilson in the back but the ref gave nothing. The ball broke to Shankland who sent it inside to JAMIE GLASGOW & he sped past the Lok defence before slotting the ball past Longmuir to make it 3-1.
Tucker now completed Talbot’s subsitutions with Faulds coming on for Shankland.
Two minutes from time Gallacher received a caution for a very late challenge on Graham Wilson.
Talbot completed the scoring in injury time. A great passage of football saw Talbot open the Lok defence to create an opening for Stephen Wilson. His low drive was blocked but it spun to JAMIE GLASGOW who passed it into the net to make the final score 4-1.
A very accomplished display by the Bot who thoroughly deserved the win as they keep their fine run of form going. Next up for Talbot it is back to league duties as they host Arthurlie at Beechwood.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, Harvey, S Wilson, Hyslop, White, McIlroy, G Wilson, Shankland

Subs – Glasgow, Thomson, Faulds, McCracken, Armstrong

Pollok Juniors – Longmuir, Niang, Byrne, Wharton, Gallacher, Brash, S McCann, Rowan, Forde, Gormley, Young

Subs – Hepburn, McCluskey, Little, Johnson (gk)

Photographs by Paul Flynn.