Report

MURRAY’S REPORT

Talbot hit top gear to cruise past Rutherglen and move 5 points clear at the top after recording their biggest win of the season; knocking 6 past the visitors to no reply.

The Bot were in the ascendancy from the off and nearly opened the scoring in the 7^th minute. Wardrope found Wilson out on the left & he fizzed a great ball across the face of goal that both Healy then Glasgow just failed to connect with.

11 mins in Talbot won a free kick just outside the penalty area for a foul on Boylan. Shankland took it and his shot clipped off the wall and behind for the corner. Glasgow’s corner was fired into the near post where it broke back to MARK SHANKLAND who turned and lashed a left foot shot home to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

Two minutes later Talbot were back on the attack – Shankland’s ball through the centre nearly finding Wardope’s run.

The visitors had a rare foray into the Talbot half in the 14^th minute when the ball was pulled back from the right wing into the feet of Lone and he drilled a low shot straight at Leishman.

Any hopes Glencairn harboured were effectively ended in the 16^th minute. O’Byrne won a 50/50 with Hyslop but when the ball broke away from him he lunged into a straight legged lunge on McCracken – leaving the ref no option but to show him a straight red.

It didn’t take Talbot long to take advantage of their extra man and the Bot doubled their lead in the 19^th minute. A ball up the left found Wardrope racing free and he cut it back into the path of AIDEN WILSON whose powerful drive squeezed past McGinley at his right post.

Two minutes later it was déjà vu as once again Wardrope headed for the bye line down the left before pulling it back for Wilson to hit but this time his shot was blocked.

The chances kept coming and moments later Healy found Stafford in space on the right. He swept a dangerous cross beyond the far post where Wilson met it but McGinley managed to parry his effort.

In the 26^th minute Glencairn put together a good counter as they moved the ball swiftly from right to left to send Schoneville scurrying free. He fired it across the 6-yard area where Wilson managed to bundle it clear.

Talbot looked certain to grab their 3^rd in the 33^rd minute. Shankland charged down an attempted clearance and the ball broke to Boylan on the right of the area. He swept it across goal to the far post where Glasgow looked set to prod it home but he got his feet tangled and the ball hit off him and deflected clear.

The goal wasn’t long in coming though and Talbot moved 3^rd ahead in the 38^th minute. Wardope’s first attempted cross was headed back out to him and he released Wilson on the overlap. He hit the bye line before pulling it back for MARK SHANKLAND to fire a low drive inside the right post.

The Bot moved 4-0 ahead in the 42^nd minute. McCracken swung over an inch perfect cross from the right to find MARK SHANKLAND beyond the far post and he guided a header back across goal to complete his hat-trick.

A minute before the interval Shankland came close to adding another. Healy got free on the right and swept over an early cross that broke into the path of Shankland who was only denied his 4^th by a fingertip save from McGinley who turned it past his left post. When the corner came over Boylan met it but his glancing header was held by the keeper and Talbot trooped off 4 goals to the good.

The visitors made a change at the start of the 2^nd half with Lone making way for Murray.

Talbot started as they’d left off – piling forward in numbers and soon after the restart Shankland tested the defence with a dangerous ball in from the right that was turned behind for a corner. Shortly after, Glasgow had a half chance when Stafford laid the ball off into his path but he blazed his shot well over from the edge of the area.

In the 51^st minute Healy clipped the ball down the left to find Boylan racing forward. He lifted a cross into the centre where Shankland thumped a header against the crossbar from 6 yards out.

Within a minute Talbot won a free kick out on the left as the pressure told on the visitors. Shankland swept it to the back post where it was only half cleared. The ball came to McCracken who was impeded and the ref pointed to the spot. MARK SHANKLAND stepped up to take it and drilled the penalty beyond McGinley and inside the right post to put Talbot 5-0 ahead.

With the game long since won Tucker now made a double switch with Shankland & Hyslop making way for Mason and Crawford who came on for his debut.

Talbot’s next effort at goal came in the 56^th minute when they were awarded a free kick inside the Glencairn half for Leitch’s late challenge on Mason. It was taken short to Wardrope and he carried it forward before firing narrowly past the right post from 30+ yards.

Rutherglen now made a further change with Maley coming on for Leitch.

Talbot completed their changes in the 62^nd minute when Robbie McCracken replaced Boylan.

In the 64^th minute Mason gathered the ball on the left of the area and traversed a couple of challenges before finally being brought down by Coleman just outside the area. Mason took the resultant free kick but fired it low into the wall.

McGinley did well to deny Talbot a 6^th in the 72^nd minute. Wilson’s chip into the area found the head of Glasgow who glanced it across the area to pick out Crawford on the right. He rolled it back to Mason whose shot was well saved by the keeper.

Glencairn now made their final change with Cummins replacing McIlveen.

The sub had a decent chance to grab a consolation in the 76^th minute when he met Schoneville’s corner from the right but he glanced his header beyond the far post.

Talbot completed the scoring with 6 minutes remaining. A Rutherglen player went through the back of Mason resulting in a booking and a free kick to Talbot 30 yards from goal. Wardrope took it and clipped a great ball through the centre where LEWIS CRAWFORD steered a diving header past McGinley to make it 6-0.

The Bot kept pressing but couldn’t add to their tally.

A great performance and good confidence booster as next up for Talbot it’s a Scottish Junior semi-final against in form Rob Roy at Meadow Park.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, Wardrope, Healy, Boylan, Shankland, Glasgow

Subs – Armstrong, Samson, Mason, Robbie McCracken, Crawford, Hewitt

Rutherglen Glencairn – McGinley, Coleman, Schoneville, Shields, O’Byrne, Leitch, Lone, McGuire, McIlveen, Pearson, Mitchell

Subs – Cummins, Murray, Maley, McNeill, Imrie, McLellan