This was definitely a case of 2 points lost rather than one gained as Talbot contrived to throw away a 2 goal lead at home to Shotts.

The first half was so one sided you were waiting on the white towel being thrown in with the visitors unable to muster a shot at goal or a corner kick.

The first of Talbot’s many chances came in the 8th minute. Langan lofted it over the defence to find McAvoy down the right and when he crossed to the far post a defender just beat Boyd to it to head behind. When the corner came over McAvoy met it 6 yards out but headed over the bar.

Talbot came close to the opener in the 11th minute. Gillies squared it across to Thomson who flicked it on into the path of McAvoy. His initial effort was blocked but came back to him and at the 2nd time of asking he cut in on his left foot and drilled a shot just past the left post.

Quarter of an hour gone and McAvoy won a corner down the right. Thomson’s delivery was only partially cleared and fell to McAvoy 15 yards out and his low drive was turned round his right post by the keeper.

In the 21st minute Talbot threatened again. Schoneville swept over a good cross that just eluded Thomson at the back post. It was retrieved by Langan on the bye line and he did well to wriggle past two challenges before cutting it back but the defence were able to clear.

Four minutes later Sexton almost put it in his own net. Armour lofted it down the centre and the right-back headed it past his own keeper but wide of the left post. When the corner came in from the right Langan met it unopposed but steered a free header wide of the left post.

34 mins in and Boyd did well to release Gillies down the left and his effort on target was saved by Thomson at his right post.

Finally, Talbot’s pressure paid off in the 38th minute. Gillies released Schoneville on the overlap and he whipped a good cross over to the back post where Thomson laid it back across goal for KYLE MCAVOY to net.

A minute later Talbot nearly doubled their lead. Gillies played it into the feet of McAvoy on the left of the area and he angled a low shot across goal and inches wide of the left hand post.

Two mins before the break McPherson clipped it up the centre where McAvoy won a header in. Langan chased it into the box and managed to get on the end of it but was stretching as he reached it and could only hit it at the keeper.

I

n the final action of the half Thomson hammered a shot from the right of the area across goal and wide and Talbot went in a goal ahead but rueing the fact they weren’t out of sight.

The visitors made a change at the break with De Marco on for Hunter.

Talbot started the 2nd half as they’d finished the first and nearly grabbed a 2nd in the 48th minute. Boyd showed good feet on the right of the area and when he was closed down it broke wide to McAvoy whose low shot across goal went just wide of the far post.

In the 51st min Talbot did move two ahead. Boyd got away down the right and had time to look up and square it across for LUKE GILLIES to pass it into the net.

Three mins later McAvoy lifted the ball over the defence down the left to find Langan inside the area. He went for goal from a tight angle and fired it across the face of goal.

Shotts now made a triple substitution with Byrne, Martin & Richford making way for Grade, Small & Craig.

The Bot had another half chance in the 64th minute. Boyd held it up well down the right before rolling it back into the path of Thomson. He crossed it into the centre where Gillies was free at the back post but it went just behind him.

A minute later Talbot had another chance to kill the game off. Thomson surged through the centre before releasing it to Gillies on the left of the area but he fired it wide of the right hand post.

In the 66th minute Shotts pulled one back with their first shot on target. To be fair it was a good hit – GRADE arrowing a wind assisted 30 yarder into the bottom corner to make it 2-1.

All of a sudden Talbot looked nervy and the visitors threatened again two minutes later. Craig got free down the right and played it across the 6-yard line where Evans scooped it over the bar under pressure.

In the 73rd minute Small picked up a caution for a late challenge on Schoneville.

The weather was worsening and with the wind in their sails Shotts were looking dangerous through their long throw ins. They had a half chance in the 75th minute when Gordon’s long throw into the box resulted in a corner. When Gillies headed the corner clear it came back out right to Gordon whose cross to the back post skipped off a Shotts head and floated over the bar.

Talbot now made a double change with Wardrope & Boyle on for Thomson & Langan.

The visitors came close in the 76th minute. A long shy from the left was headed clear but only as far as Grade whose low drive from distance had to be turned round the right hand post.

Talbot now made a further change with Abed on for McAvoy.

Nine mins from time Gordon received a yellow card for a foul on Boyd.

In the 85th minute Gillies got free on the left but his cross to the back post had too much on it. Wardrope retrieved it and whipped over a good cross that saw Boyd’s header tipped over the bar or so it seemed but the referee awarded a goal kick.

Three mins from time Talbot paid the price for their earlier misses when Shotts levelled. Boyd was dispossessed and Grade sped up the left wing before crossing it to the back post where DE MARCO squeezed a header past Armour to make it 2-2.

There was still time for one last Talbot chance. Schoneville forced a corner down the left and when Wardrope delivered into the centre McPherson had a chance to restore Talbot’s lead but glanced his header wide of the left post.

An incredibly frustrating night for Talbot who ought to have won with a bit to spare. There’s no time to dwell on it though as the Bot are back in cup action this Saturday when they travel to face Muirkirk in the West of Scotland.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Clark, Schoneville, Wilson, McPherson, Sime, Langan, Gillies, Boyd, McAvoy, Thomson

Subs – Nimmo, Abed, Mitchell, Wardrope, Boyle, Slooves, Miller

Shotts Bon Accord – Thomson, Sexton, Byrne, Torrance, Meikle, Martin, Gordon, Hunter, Evans, Duffy, Richford

Subs – Grade, De Marco, Small, Cassells, Craig, O’Neil, Starrs (gk)