Talbot ran out comfortable winners in their opening preseason friendly and might have hit double figures with a little luck.

The Bot hit the woodwork for the first time in the 14th minute. Langan whipped over a free kick from the left that Hannah couldn’t gather and it was retrieved by McPherson. He cut it back into the path of Boyd whose low drive rattled the base of the left post.

Talbot came close again in the 22nd minute. Hannah’s attempted clearance was blocked and the ball spun across the face of goal. Boyd got on it and switched it to his left before firing a shot on target but straight at the keeper.

Whitletts only real threat of the afternoon came in the 24th minute. A long shy found its way to Walker on the left of the area and his curling cross was headed behind by McPherson. The corner was taken short then crossed into the near post where Talbot’s trialist keeper missed it but the ball was swept to safety.

Boyd was denied the opener in the 26th minute. Talbot’s no.10 held it up well down the left before crossing to the far post where Boyd’s net bound volley was blocked behind off Murphy.

Talbot took the lead in the 29th minute. A ball up the left pinged off a defender’s head and fell nicely for CONNOR BOYD in the centre and he stroked it past the keeper to make it 1-0.

Ten minutes later he came within a whisker of doubling Talbot’s lead. He showed good pace to burst clear down the left before cutting inside on his right foot and placing a shot for the far corner that hit off the post.

On the stroke of half-time Talbot came close again. Boyle switched it out to Healy on the wing and his cross found Boyd in the centre but his header was turned over the bar by Hannah.

Tucker made 7 changes at the break with Glavin, Black & Schoneville making their debuts along with Armstrong, McCracken, Wardrope and a trialist.

From the off the 2nd half was one-way traffic and Talbot nearly doubled their lead in the 53rd minute. Black played Boyd in down the right and his cut back across goal was turned just wide of target off a defender.

Talbot moved 2-0 ahead in the 57th minute. Boyd played it wide left to find no.8 who swept a dangerous ball across the box that broke to MICHAEL WARDROPE who dragged a shot in off the right post.

In the 63rd minute Talbot grabbed their third. Boyd let a shy from the left come across him before turning and driving for the box. He was halted just outside but the loose ball fell to no.18 who fired a low shot into the bottom corner.

With 20 minutes remaining Talbot won a penalty when Schoneville burst into the area and was up-ended by the keeper. Unfortunately, he landed awkwardly, picking up a nasty injury and had to be helped off the field with Langan returning onto the field. Wardrope took the spot kick but blazed it way over.

Twelve minutes from time Talbot made it 4. Black’s low ball across the face of the area was cut out but it came straight to Talbot’s no.18 whose low drive took a deflection en route to the back of the net.

In the 81st minute Black nearly added his name to the score sheet. He tried his luck from a tight angle only to see it go across the goal line and back off the right hand post.

Five minutes from time Talbot grabbed their 5th goal. A cross from the left found CONNOR BOYD unmarked in the centre and he nodded home.

A minute later Talbot’s no. 8 won a free kick just wide of the area when he was obstructed as he made for the box. Wardrope swept it in at pace and CRAIG MCRACKEN glanced a header into the far corner to make it 6-0.

In the final minute Talbot added a 7th goal. Talbot’s no. 10 cut into the box off the left and dribbled his way past a couple of challenges. He was finally halted but it broke straight to RUARIDH LANGAN who passed it into the net to complete the scoring.

A good work-out for a new look Talbot team with the only downside to the afternoon being Schoneville’s injury and everyone at Beechwood will wish him a swift recovery.

Auchinleck Talbot – Trialist, Healy, Wilson, McPherson, Slooves, Boyle, Langan, Trialist, Boyd, Trialist, Lennox

Subs – McCracken, Schoneville, Armstrong, Wardrope, Black, Trialist, Glavin

Whitletts Victoria – Hannah, Berry, Murphy, Brown, Wylie, Dempsie, Walker, McCracken, Baird, McColm, Kerr

Subs – Holland, Alexander, Hood, Caldwell, Pope, Johnston