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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

This was the proverbial game of two halves with Talbot failing to show up for the 1^st 45 but turning the game around with a much improved 2^nd half display.

The warning signs were there early on when the visitors threatened the Talbot goal in the 3^rd minute. A free kick was awarded for a foul on McLevy which Gallagher swept into the area. Jamieson flicked it on but there were no takers at the back post.

Troon took the lead in the 5^th minute. Frizzell flicked the ball into the path of JAMIESON and with the Bot defence looking for an offside flag that never came he raced in on goal before slipping the ball underneath the advancing Leishman.

Glasgow tried to respond for Talbot & jinked his way through the left of the Troon penalty area but could only fire well wide from a tight angle.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead in the 19^th minute. Frizzell got in behind down the right & whipped a dangerous ball across the face of goal which just eluded Jamieson in front of goal.

Talbot huffed & puffed but weren’t making much headway. It took until the 38^th minute before there was any kind of threat offered in the final third. Boylan did well to burst to the bye line and cut the ball back towards Glasgow but he was well challenged at the near post & it ran behind for a corner.

Ben Black picked up a caution in the 41^st minute for Troon when he clipped Graham Wilson’s heels as he ran forward and that was it as far as the first half went.

From the outset of the 2^nd half it was apparent Talbot had stepped up several gears. Within a minute of the restart Glasgow slung a cross over from the left that was headed out straight to McDowall who volleyed wide of goal from 15 yards.

A minute later Healy swept a dangerous cross over from the left that Lyle just failed to connect with at the back post.

It was no real surprise then when Talbot levelled in the 49^th minute. Glasgow raced away into space before releasing the ball out to Boylan on the right. He cut into the penalty area & drilled a low shot across goal that MCCLOSKEY bundled into his own net from close range whilst trying to clear it.

Troon were rattled and their defence looked nervy in the 53^rd minute when Boylan’s cross into the area was shanked into the air by McCloskey. The ball spun out to Aiden Wilson whose cross into the goal mouth was unconvincingly flapped away by Fisher.

The momentum had been with Talbot but the Bot gifted Troon a half chance in the 56^th minute. A ball up the right was headed into the air by Aiden Wilson & both McPherson & McCracken went to clear it. They collided with one another & the ball broke to Frizzell 20 yards out but his shot went straight at Leishman.

The Bot defence were called into action again a minute later when Troon were awarded a free kick out on the right touchline.  The free kick was fired beyond the far post towards McLevy but his header was blocked behind by Lyle.

Talbot made a double switch in the 59^th minute with Glasgow & Graham Wilson making way for Shankland & Samson. Keir was involved immediately – racing into the penalty area & seeing his ball across goal put behind for a corner. When the corner came over McCracken rose to head it toward goal where it was scrambled clear by the defence.

Troon now made their 1^st change with Josh Black on in place of Ben Black.

In the 67^th minute Maitland did well to prevent Talbot taking the lead. Shankland gathered on the left & fired it low across goal towards Samson who was poised to tap it home until Maitland intercepted & put it behind.

Talbot’s next attack saw Samson meet a cross from the left. He was coming away from goal as he met it & sent his header over the bar from 6 yards out.

Tucker now made a further change with McDowall making way for the trialist.

Troon had been guilty all afternoon of making mountains out of molehills at any hint of contact & eventually the ref’s patience wore thin & he had words with Fulton after a particularly histrionic outburst.

In the 72^nd minute Troon brought on Nisbet in place of the tiring Jamieson.

Talbot took the lead in the 73^rd minute. Aiden Wilson laid the ball back to Shankland & his cross was met at the back post by the trialist who steered it back across goal where KEIR SAMSON nodded home from close range.

With 11 minutes remaining Talbot won a free kick 35 yards out after Armstrong was tripped. Shankland fired it over the wall but wide of Fisher’s left hand post.

Troon now made a further change with Lusk coming on for Frizzell.

Another goal would have sealed it and Talbot came close in the 83^rd minute. McCracken flighted it up the right where Boylan nodded it inside to Samson. He squared it across to Shankland & his effort from 20 yards flew just past the left hand upright.

With five minutes remaining Talbot threatened again. Samson beat Troon’s offside trap to speed clear on the right and his cross just cleared the head of the trialist in front of goal before Maitland swept it behind for the corner. Shankland produced a great delivery from the corner & Fisher did well to turn McCracken’s powerful header over the bar.

Troon hadn’t offered much going forward in the 2^nd half but they gave Talbot a late scare with 2 minutes remaining. Josh Black showed good pace to get away wide on the left & he drilled it low across the penalty area where it hit off Nisbet 8 yards out rather than him hitting it & the ball went straight at Leishman.

A Jekyll and Hyde performance from Talbot who were as dominant in the 2^nd half as they had been anonymous in the first. Next up for Talbot is a midweek trip to Valefield where they face Kilbirnie Ladeside.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, Armstrong, Healy, McDowall, Graham Wilson, Glasgow, Boylan

Subs – Samson, Shankland, Trialist, Robbie McCracken, White, Boyd, Hewitt

Troon – Fisher, McLevy, McCloskey, Maitland, Miller, Gallagher, Ben Black, Montgomerie, Frizzell, Fulton, Jamieson

Subs – Galloway, Nisbet, McDowall, Burns, Josh Black, Lusk, Fraser (gk