Talbot kicked off 2024 with a hard fought win over Troon in a game Talbot appeared to have in the bag but almost ended in a share of the spoils.

It was the visitors who carved out the first chance inside the first minute. Shankland played it short to Gallagher who found Moore racing forward on the wing. He played it across the area and beyond the far post where Black just failed to connect.

Talbot’s first effort on target came in the 5th minute when McAvoy turned smartly just outside the area and drilled a powerful shot on target that Burgess held at the 2nd attempt.

Troon’s Morrison had his name taken in the 9th minute when he caught Thomson late but Talbot could make nothing of the subsequent free kick.

The visitors were forced into a change in the 23rd minute when Millar couldn’t continue with Fulton on in his place.

A minute later Troon had a half chance when a cross was only headed partially clear and came out to Dunlop who fired a low drive straight at Glavin.

Talbot took the lead in the 25th minute. Slooves chipped it up the centre where McAvoy climbed to head it into the path of RUARIDH LANGAN who burst into the box before placing a left foot drive past the advancing Burgess.

The joy proved short-lived however as Talbot were sucker punched when Troon grabbed an immediate equaliser. Dunlop was able to race clear down the right touchline unimpeded before firing a dangerous ball across the 6-yard area. Gilroy flicked it on in the centre to BLACK in space beyond the far post and he fired it high inside the right post to make it 1-1.

Talbot tried to regain the initiative and Schoneville showed good pace to race up the left but his cross had a bit too much on it. Boyd retrieved it beyond the far post and hit a good cross over to find Schoneville but it broke off him and went behind for the goal kick.

On the half hour mark Boyd burst forward before sliding it left to find Thomson whose low ball across the area was cut out and put behind for the corner. When the corner came over Slooves met it and powered a header on target that Burgess tipped over his bar.

In the 35th minute Talbot forced another stop from the visiting keeper. Boyle moved forward through the centre and slid a pass left to Urquhart who cut inside and drilled a low shot on target that Burgess saved low to his left.

Three minutes later Talbot won a free kick in a promising area when Schoneville was caught just outside the penalty area. Thomson took it but hit it into the wall.

Talbot’s pressure paid off in the 41st minute when they retook the lead. Langan drove forward and played it out wide right to McPherson. He fired it low into the near post where Langan laid it back to CONNOR BOYD who fired it low through Burgess to put Talbot 2-1 ahead at the interval.

Talbot started the 2nd half positively and won a free kick 35 yards out, on the left, when Gallagher caught Urquhart. Langan’s ball in was headed clear where Schoneville was fouled 30 yards from goal. Langan again took the free kick but fired it way off target.

Slack defending gave Troon a glimpse of goal in the 49th minute. A ball in from the left broke off a Talbot player into the path of Gilroy who fired just over the bar from 20 yards out.

Down the other end Talbot threatened when McAvoy gathered out on the right touchline and slid a pass inside to find Boyd who whipped a shot across goal and wide of the right post.

The Bot had a chance in the 55th minute when Langan won a 50/50 midway inside the Troon half. He played it on to Boyd who had a chance to hit it from outside the area but opted to thread a pass through to Thomson which was read by Burgess who was quickly off his line to gather.

There was then a scare down the other end when a ball in behind the defence saw Glavin slice his attempted clearance. It came out to Morrison on the right who went for the early shot but he didn’t catch it right and the chance was squandered.

In the 57th minute Langan had his name taken when he conceded a free kick just wide of the penalty area. Shankland whipped it into the near post where Talbot managed to head it clear.

Troon came close to levelling in the 62nd minute. A deep cross from the left was headed out but came to Moore who volleyed it just over.

Talbot now made a change with Langan making way for Glasgow.

A minute later Talbot grabbed their 3rd of the afternoon. Schoneville raced past Moore down the stand side and swung a cross into the centre that the defence were only able to clear to the edge of the box where EWAN THOMSON met it and took a touch before placing a low shot inside the right post.

Within a minute Talbot were denied what looked a stonewall penalty and an opportunity to kill the game off. Glasgow rolled a pass through the left channel to find Boyd racing into the area. Burgess did well to block his shot and when the ball spun up into the air Boyd latched onto it and was shielding the ball when pulled down by Moore but the referee gave nothing.

In the 69th minute a slack pass from McAvoy gave Troon the chance to break forward through Black whose progress was halted 25 yards out by Slooves who was cautioned for obstruction. Shankland took the set piece and his shot clipped the wall and went behind for a corner.

In the 72nd minute both sides made further changes with Talbot making a double switch with Urquhart & McAvoy making way for Lennox & Smith and Troon bringing Omar on in place of Shankland.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot were punished for leaving themselves too light at the back. McPherson did well out on the right wing to skin Black before hoisting a cross into the centre. Troon managed to clear it and then one ball out from the back caught Wilson on the wrong side of Gilroy who raced from just inside the Bot half up the right wing to the bye line where he cut it back across goal for OMAR to score from close range at the back post.

The goal lifted Troon and 2 minutes later Gilroy cut in off the left and drilled a low shot at goal but straight at Glavin.

Talbot now made a further change with Armstrong on for Thomson.

With 6 minutes remaining Troon made their final change with McCarroll on for Dunlop.

As the game moved into added time Talbot had a let off. A cross from the left was headed out but came out to Fulton 20 yards out who struck his half-volley into the ground and it skipped through and bounced off Glavin’s right hand post.

Troon went direct and piled bodies forward in injury time but couldn’t carve out another chance and Talbot held on to claim all 3 points.

Next up for Talbot is a trip through to Yoker to face Clydebank at Holm Park.

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, McPherson, Schoneville, Slooves, Wilson, Langan, Boyle, Urquhart, Boyd, McAvoy, Thomson

Subs – Smith, Glasgow, Lennox, Gillies, Abed, Armstrong, Henry (gk)

Troon – Burgess, McCloskey, Smith, Morrison, Black, Shankland, Gilroy, Moore, Dunlop, Millar, Gallagher

Subs – Brown, McCarroll, Young, Fulton, Logan, Omar, Fisher (gk)