Report

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot have the league wrapped up but that hasn’t blunted their desire to win and the Bot wrapped up their home fixtures with a 2-0 win over Pollok.
The opening exchanges belonged to the visitors with Pollok looking lively. They forced a few corners that the Bot defence dealt well with before winning a free kick in a decent area. Lyle conceded a free kick out on the right for a nudge of Stuart McCann. Young curled it in but Pope headed clear.
The first effort at goal came after 10 mins. Coutts fired in a low cross that broke out to Young at the edge of the area & he curled a shot high & wide of the left post.
For all Pollok’s pressure they hadn’t threatened Talbot’s goal and the first close call of the match fell Talbot’s way after quarter of an hour. A free kick was lifted up the left wing to Graham Wilson and he hooked over a cross that Hyslop headed against the crossbar with the keeper beaten. The ball rebounded out to Armstrong whose 1st shot was blocked and then his follow up effort slid wide of the left post.
Talbot took the lead after 24 minutes aided in part by a goalkeeping error. Talbot won a shy out on the right that Samson hurled into the centre. The Lok rearguard failed to clear their lines and it came to Glasgow on the left of the area. He dinked a cross over that Lumsden came for but missed and KEIR SAMSON bundled it home.
Pollok made a change half an hour in with Fraser making way for McCluskey.
Two mins later we had the 1st booking of the match; Henry receiving a caution for a cynical block on McCracken as he raced upfield.
The Lok defence were stretched in the 37th minute when Graham Wilson surged forward before releasing the ball out left to Glasgow. He returned the ball back into the path of Graham Wilson but Morton did well to intercept and turn it behind for the corner.
Talbot’s next attack saw McCracken charge out of defence before releasing it to Samson. He in turn fed it to Graham Wilson on the right who swung a dangerous cross but there was no in the centre to convert.
Leishman produced a top save to maintain Talbot’s lead in the 40th minute. When the ball was squared in field off the right to Morton he looked too far out to shoot but he had other ideas and his low drive from 35 yards plus was heading inside the left post til Leishman dived to turn it behind.
A min before the interval Glasgow picked up a caution for a shove on Gary McCann. Young took the free kick and lifted it into the centre where it was headed clear. However it only came out to Morton whose diagonal ball found Gary McCann racing free down the right. He cut it back into the path of Forde who failed to hit the target; steering a shot wide from 10 yards out. In the closing action of the half Samson picked up a very soft caution.
Talbot started the 2nd half positively and Pope’s cross in the 48th minute looked destined to be headed home at the back post until Evans stretched to head it away from a clutch of waiting players.
Tucker made his first change after 53 mins with Shankland coming on for Glasgow.
The next chance came because of Pollok’s inability to cope with Samson’s throw in. He hurtled it into the centre where it fell to Graham Wilson with his back to goal. He teed it up for Stephen Wilson but his shot was blocked.
In the 58th minute Talbot cut through the Lok defence. Pope played it into the feet of Shankland & he dispatched it to the left to find Graham Wilson racing clear. He whipped over a cross that flashed across the face of goal before being put behind for a corner at the back post. When the corner came in it was headed on into the path of Graham Wilson who blasted home but the flag was up before he hit it.
On the hour mark Pollok paid the penalty for failing to deal with another Samson throw. This time when the shy came in the Lok defender missed it in the air & when it skipped up off the surface he controlled it with his arm. The ref pointed to the spot and GORDON POPE duly dispatched it into the bottom corner to put Talbot 2-0 ahead.
Tucker now made another two substitutions; firstly McDowall coming on for Samson and this was shortly followed by McIlroy replacing Graham Wilson.
The next effort at goal came in the 66th minute. A Shankland corner from the right came across to Pope on the left of the area & he hammered it over the bar on the half-volley.
Two minutes later Shankland tested the keeper. McDowall won a header in midfield that landed at Shankland 40 yards out. He spotted the keeper out of position and opted to hit it early forcing Lumsden to scramble across to his right to keep out his shot.
Pollok now made their 2nd change with Forde making way for Anson.
With quarter of an hour remaining Pollok had a penalty shout when McCluskey drove a cross in from the left that hit Lyle. Pollok appealed for handball but the ref dismissed their claims.
Morton talked his way into the ref’s notebook in the 79th minute. He was fortunate to escape a caution for deliberate handball when he prevented Stephen Wilson from knocking the ball past him but kept on at the ref until he did book him. Shankland took the free kick and lifted it into the near post where it was gathered by McIlroy who forced the corner. When the corner came over Hyslop saw his header blocked into the path of McDowall. His shot was also blocked by a defender and spun to Hyslop 16 yards out who curled a shot just wide of the left post.
Talbot threatened to extend their lead with 8 mins remaining. A swift break involving Stephen Wilson & Shankland saw the ball shifted out left to McDowall. He crossed it over to the far post where McIlroy laid it back across goal for Shankland who hooked a shot at goal that was blocked in the goal mouth.
A minute later Lumsden was at full stretch to deny Talbot their third. Armstrong mishit it but it ended up the perfect cross for Stephen Wilson whose header was headiing inside the left post til Lumsden dived full length to make the stop.
Talbot were finishing with a flourish and Pope tried his luck from 35 yards after being set up Shankland; firing wide of the right post.
It was all Talbot in the closing stages but Pollok held out without conceding another.
After the final whistle Talbot were ‘presented’ with their winners medals and the league trophy they’d earned the hard way hauling back Hurlford’s massive lead one win at a time.
Next up for Talbot is an away trip to Bellsdale to face Beith this Saturday before next weekend’s Scottish Junior final with Largs Thistle.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Hyslop, Stephen Wilson, Graham Wilson, Glasgow, Samson

Subs – McIlroy, Shankland, McDowall, Kemp, Harvey

Pollok – Lumsden, Coutts, Morton, Evans, Sideserf, Henry, Gary McCann, Fraser, Stuart McCann, Forde, Young

Subs – Anson, Watt, McCluskey, McWilliams, Urquhart (gk)