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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot returned to the top of the table with a well-deserved away win over Clydebank.

It didn’t take long for Talbot to settle and the Bot had a good chance to take the lead in the 9^th minute. Shankland clipped a pass through to send Glasgow through on goal but his 1^st touch was a shade too heavy & Donnelly was able to race off his line and make the block.

The opener was only delayed though by a minute with Talbot grabbing a goal in the 10^th minute. Shankland gathered on the left and slid the ball into the path of GRAHAM WILSON who drilled a low shot past Donnelly at his right post to make it 1-0.

In the 12^th minute the home side won a free kick out wide on the left that was swept deep toward the back post where Leishman rushed out to punch clear.

Down the other end Talbot won a free kick in a good area after Byrne wrestled back Boylan. Shankland whipped it into the centre where Craig McCracken powered a header on target that was well-saved by Donnelly but the referee had already blown for an infringement.

In the 24^th minute Boylan did well up the left to force a corner and when Shankland’s in swinger came over it caused Donnelly problems with the keeper struggling to clear it. The ball only came out as far as Glasgow who volleyed it across the face of goal where Boylan flicked it just wide of the left post but the linesman’s flag went up in any case.

Clydebank hadn’t offered much but in the 26^th minute Black did well out on the left – firing a dangerous cross into the near post which the Bot defence managed to clear.

Two minutes later Talbot were on the attack again. A shy from the left found Shankland and he flashed a ball across the face of goal which Glasgow just failed to reach.

The Talbot team & visiting fans were all appealing for a penalty in the 29^th minute. Glasgow released Boylan down the right and he made it to the bye line before standing a cross up to the back post where Graham Wilson appeared to be bundled over as he went to meet it but the officials waved away the appeal.

The Bankies produced their most threatening move to date on the half hour mark when Black surged forward from midfield towards the box before releasing it to left to find Mackinlay inside the penalty area. The ball got caught between his feet and Robbie McCracken was quickly across to clear it.

A minute later Talbot raced onto the attack when Graham Wilson sent Glasgow clear on the right and he fired just over from 22 yards.

Talbot were nearly in the 35^th minute when Graham Wilson’s ball cut open the defence and found Boylan racing in behind. Donnelly did well though to read the danger & raced out his area to clear it and his clearance ended up sailing over the Bot defence to find McKinlay in space inside the area but he took too long to get his shot away.

The crucial 2^nd goal came in the 39^th minute. Clydebank had a tame shot at goal that Leishman safely gathered before bowling the ball out quickly to release Glasgow down the right. He sped up the wing & swung a cross to the far post where BRYAN BOYLAN met it and Donnelly was unable to stop his header from crossing the line – with the linesman signalling the goal.

A minute later Talbot had another strong penalty appeal dismissed. Boylan got away on the right and burst into the area but wasn’t able to get his shot away as the ball took a high bounce off the surface. He waited for it come down & drove a ball across goal that looked to be blocked by Bailey’s arms but once again the ref wasn’t interested.

Talbot ended the half strongly and Robbie McCracken’s cross just needed any kind of contact and it would have been three but there were no takers and Talbot went it two goals to the good.

Clydebank made a lively start to the 2^nd half; pressing hard to try to find a way back into it. In the 47^th minute Gallacher let fly from 25 yards and his shot caught McPherson full in the face with the game having to be halted to allow treatment for Talbot’s centre-half.

The Bot weathered Clydebank’s early pressure and had a chance to move further ahead in the 55^th minute. Robbie McCracken won the ball in midfield to set a counter-attack rolling that saw Graham Wilson find Glasgow in space just inside the penalty area but his left foot shot flew just over the bar.

Boylan became the first name in the ref’s notebook in the 62^nd minute and Clydebank made a double switch with McPherson & Johnstone coming on in place of Black & Holmes.

Clydebank had the bulk of the ball but weren’t threatening Talbot’s goal and it was the Bot who came close to moving further ahead in the 71^st minute when a slick move saw Glasgow run at the defence before releasing it to Shankland on the right edge of the area and his low angled drive sped just wide of the far post.

Tucker now made a change with Samson replacing Boylan.

Talbot nearly put the game out of sight in the 74^th minute when the ball was worked from left to right with Glasgow sending the ball onto the overlapping Robbie McCracken and his shot, like Shankland’s shortly before, flew across goal and just wide of the right post.

With quarter on an hour remaining Clydebank made and missed their one clear chance of the afternoon. They won a corner down the right which was delivered right onto the head of Niven but he couldn’t get over it and sent his header just over the bar from 5 yards out.

With 10 minutes remaining Talbot made their 2^nd change with White coming on in place of Glasgow.

In the 84^th minute Clydebank won a free kick 30 yards out when White clipped Little’s heels with White also receiving a yellow card. McPherson took it and got it up and over the wall but Leishman’s positioning was spot on and he made a comfortable save.

With 5 minutes remaining Talbot made their final change with Mason on for Shankland.

The Bankies huffed and puffed until the final whistle but couldn’t make any in roads and Talbot held out for the win.

Next week it’s back to Beechwood and back to cup duty as Talbot host West Calder United in the South Challenge cup.

Clydebank – Donnelly, Bailey, Byrne, Niven, Darroch, Holmes, Gallacher, Black, McKinlay, Little, McGonigle

Subs – Stevenson, Green, McLean, Lynass, Johnstone, McPherson, McHugh

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Robbie McCracken, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, Armstrong, Healy, Shankland, Graham Wilson, Boylan, Glasgow

Subs – Samson, Mason, Hyslop, McDowall, White, Lyle, Hewitt