Report

This wasn’t a great advert for summer football, with rain lashing down for much of the night, but the fans did at least get to see some goals as Talbot fought back from two down to secure a draw against Troon.
Talbot started strongly & S Wilson made two surging runs down the right in the opening minutes leaving McClelland trailing but couldn’t find the final ball on either occasion.
The 1st real test for either keeper came in the 11th minute. A ball over the top sent Glasgow racing toward the box only to be halted by a shirt tug from Clark for which the Troon centre-half received a booking. Shankland took the free kick, bending it over the wall towards the right post where McInnes dived to his right to turn it round the post.
Troon’s keeper made another impressive stop in the 17th minute. S Wilson broke through the centre & slid it out right to find Shankland inside the box. He carried it forward before chipping for goal where McInnes rose to tip it over the bar.
Troon opened the scoring in the 20th minute. McClelland got free down the left & cut it back across the area to find FULTON with his back to goal. He had the time & space to turn & fire a low drive past Leishman.
Four minutes later and Troon doubled their lead. Talbot’s midfield were slow to react as Chatham burst forward & he was allowed to carry it to the edge of the area before releasing it to PATERSON who knocked it past the advancing Leishman.
The two quick goals stunned Talbot who struggled to make an impact. It took a set piece and a slice of luck to give Talbot a way back into the game in the 34th minute. Chatham fouled S Wilson 25 yards out. POPE took the free kick & fired a low drive at goal that took a deflection off a Troon defender & nestled into the bottom corner.
A minute from the interval Glasgow nearly levelled. Shankland helped the ball inside & Glasgow hammered it for goal from 16 yards but again McInnes was equal to it; turning it over the bar.
On the stroke of half-time Harvey had a decent chance when he met Thomson’s cross a few yards out but he headed it straight into the turf allowing McInnes an easy save.
In keeping with previous friendlies Tucker made wholesale changes at the interval bringing on 8 players; Lyle, Weir, Pettigrew, White, Hyslop, Pooler, G Wilson & Kemp joining Leishman, Whyte & Sinclair.
Talbot had two chances in quick succession to draw level; firstly Weir got on the end of Lyle’s free kick & guided an effort just wide of target & then Pooler raced onto Hyslop’s cushioned header down before firing past the left post from a tight angle.
In the 57th minute Kemp was unfortunate not to pick out G Wilson when he angled an early cross over from the left that just flew out of Wilson’s reach in front of goal.
Troon now made their 1st change with Gardiner on for Clark.
The visitors hadn’t offered much threat in the 2nd half but did hit the target in the 62nd minute. G Barbour met the keeper’s long punt down the centre & flicked it 1st time inside to Paterson whose low drive was held by Leishman.
White picked up a caution in the 64th minute for a late challenge in the centre.
Talbot’s next effort came when Wilson sped down the left & knocked it into the near post where Pooler flicked it into the side-netting.
McInnes was having a solid game for Troon & he produced another good save to deny Talbot in the 70th minute. Pettigrew’s ball down the centre found Pooler who chested it back to Wilson. He teed it up for Hyslop & his low drive was turned round the post at full stretch by McInnes.
A minute later Wilson spurned a chance to level. White played the ball through to find Pooler on the overlap & he cut it back from the bye line where Wilson side-footed wide of target.
Pooler wasted a clear opening in the 78th minute. A short back pass sent him clean through on the keeper but he drilled his shot straight at McInnes.
It looked as though Troon were going to hold on for the win but with 3 minutes remaining Talbot made the breakthrough. Kemp latched onto a ball down the centre & burst into the box before sliding it right to find WILSON free & he slotted it home to make it 2-2.
Talbot had one final chance to win it in the last minute. Wilson fired in a cross from the right which Hyslop headed wide at the near post.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Harvey, Pope, McPherson, Whyte, McCracken, S Wilson, Sinclair, Shankland, Glasgow, Thomson

Subs – Lyle, Pettigrew, Pooler, Weir, G Wilson, White, Hyslop, Kemp, Hewitt (gk)

Troon – McInnes, McCreadie, McClelland, Clark, R Barbour, Chatham, Fulton, Lamont, G Barbour, McCrea, Paterson

Subs – Phillips, Brown, Collins, Gardiner, Fraser