Report

NARROW WIN IN GOVAN

Report: Jim McAuley, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn.

The final match of the season had Talbot visiting Benburb in the penultimate league match which was classed as a dead rubber.  The kick-off was moved to 1pm due to Talbot having a Sportsman’s Dinner later on in the evening and with the Old Firm derby taking place at the other end of the city the small crowd that decided to turn up were treated to nothing more then some end of season fare.

The only highlight of the day was the magnificent weather which beat down on the players, and with Talbot’s recent glut of games you could see that the players were were less than happy with the conditions.

Talbot had a decent start to the proceedings when Ross Smith tried his luck from the edge of the box but Law was equal to the shot. Talbot continued to pressure when Schoneville sent over a cross but it was over hit and floated harmlessly over the bar.

Connor Boyd was gifted a chance when Clark failed to control the ball and although the chasing defence forced him wide he managed to cut the ball across the 18 yard line and into the path of Wardrope who dinked the ball into the path of Langan but Law managed to smother the ball and avert the danger.

The Bens were finding the bounce of the ball difficult and this was proved again when Smith robbed Bell, picked out Boyd but his pass across the box was diverted for a corner.

With 25 minutes gone the home side had their first chance when a loose ball by Schoneville was pounced upon by McCrone but his shot from distance went well over the bar. Minutes later Fraser latched onto a clearance from McPherson and hammered a shot from 30 yards that sailed past the post.

The only goal of the match came on the 45th minute when Armstrong picked out Boyd who after a tidy one two with Smith rifled the ball past Law from just inside the box.

The second half started much like the first and Law was forced into a great block at the feet of Smith as Talbot tried to put the game to bed. Law was proving to be the barrier to stop Talbot adding to their slim lead and he proved his worth when Boyd’s cross took a wicked bounce in the box forcing the keeper to make an outstanding reaction save.

The home defence were not covering themselves in glory in this particular game and once again Boyd found himself excepting a poor pass, before bearing down on goals but his shot just whistled past the post.

Smith was to have the miss of the game when Wardrope’s inch perfect pass had the striker with only the keeper to beat and he hammered the ball into the side netting.

The game finally livened up as it drew to a close with Ally Boyle chipping the keeper from distance but the ball bounced passed the post and B9 tried his luck from outside the box but he fired his shot straight into the arms of Glavin. B1 was once again the hero for the home side when he turned a Scott Schoneville rasper past the post.

Benburb were to have the last say in the match when Glavin dived to clear a dangerous pass into the box which McDonald had his eyes on resulting in the player going down but the referee was having none of it.

The win catapulted Talbot into second place in the league, the third time in the last three years.