Report

MURRAY’S MATCH REPORT

Talbot claimed a deserved share of the spoils at a rain soaked Loch Park but left it very late before grabbing an equaliser.
Talbot were 1st to show & won a corner inside a minute when Marlow blocked Latta’s cross behind. Shankland swung it over to the penalty spot where Drummond ran onto it but steered his header wide of McGarrity’s right post.
The home side very nearly took the lead in the 3rd minute. McGill played it into the area to find Andrew in space on the left & his shot across goal beat Leishman but came back off the foot of the post.
It was Talbot’s turn to hit the woodwork in the 8th minute. McChesney bowled Milliken over 30 yards out resulting in a free kick. Shankland whipped it up & over the wall only to see it clip the outside of the left post with McGarrity well beaten.
Talbot conceded a soft penalty at Muirkirk on Saturday and it was déjà vu for the visiting fans when Drummond was adjudged to have barged into Andrew just inside the penalty area. The ref awarded a penalty & DALLAS sent Leishman the wrong way to put Glenafton 1-0 ahead.
The game then became as dreich as the weather with nothing of note happening for a lengthy spell.
Pope received a caution in the 24th minute for a late challenge on Borris and was joined in the notebook 4 minutes later by Pooler. Talbot’s latest signing raced into the box onto the end of Young’s pass & opted to take it round McGarrity rather than shoot from a tight angle. He knocked it past McGarrity & went over but the ref judged it a dive & booked him, to the ire of the visiting fans who were looking for a penalty.
Glenafton’s McGill was cautioned in the 34th min for a late tackle & the Glens were then forced into an early change as Borris, who hadn’t recovered from an earlier knock, limped off to be replaced by Orsi.
From the resultant free kick McGoldrick flighted the ball down the right. The ball bobbled past a static Glens defence through to Young deep inside the area but his 1st touch let him down & it went out for a goal kick.
Andrew had a real opportunity to double the Glens lead in the 39th min. He was sent clean through on Leishman but he tried to lift it over him & Andy reacted quickly to make the stop. The home side finished the 1st half strongly but couldn’t add to their lead.
Tucker made a change at the re-start with McPherson making way for Wilson & Latta dropping back to right-back.
Wilson was only on the park 5 minutes before picking up a very soft caution for an innocuous foul. The Glens were awarded a free kick 30 yards out but Gray sent his shot straight into the wall.
Talbot carry a threat at set pieces & stretched the Glens defence in the 54th minute. A corner was taken short to Shankland & Drummond was a hair’s breadth from heading it home in the centre. Talbot kept the pressure on & Pooler came close as he turned McAusland & shot just past the right post.
It was Talbot making the running & Wilson nearly levelled in the 58th minute. Shankland played a dangerous ball in from the left for Young in the centre. He just failed to reach it but the ball broke out to Wilson who hammered a shot just wide of the left post.
Glenafton had fallen right out of it so it was no surprise when they made their 2nd change, McCann coming on for Dallas.
The home side had an opportunity in the 72nd minute. Park met Gray’s corner from the right but didn’t make the most of it, glancing his header wide of target.
McCann & Drummond had a coming together in the 74th min & both ended up in the ref’s book.
Tucker made a 2nd change with 11 mins remaining with Lyle replacing Pooler.
The referee made it one penalty a piece in the 82nd minute. The Glens were penalised for a foul at the back post from Shankland’s corner and Pope stepped up to take it but safe to say it wasn’t his finest effort from 12 yards as he lifted it way over the bar.
Credit to Talbot though, they kept going and produced another close call in the 86th minute. Milliken did well out on the left & fired it low across the area where Shankland turned his man before firing narrowly past the left post.
Just when it looked as though the Glens would hold on for the win, Talbot finally produced an equaliser. In the final minute Talbot won a corner on the right and when Shankland’s ball came across the 6-yard area, MCGOLDRICK met it to glance a header into the far corner.
A case of better late than never for Talbot, who now face the long trek south to face Wigtown in the preliminary round of the Scottish cup this Saturday.

Glenafton – McGarrity, McAusland, Marlow, Meikle, McChesney, Gray, Borris, Park, Dallas, Andrew, McGill
Subs – McCann, Orsi, Hunter, McAnespie, Lochhead

Talbot – Leishman, McPherson, Pope, McGoldrick, Drummond, White, Young, Pooler, Milliken, Shankland, Latta
Subs – S Wilson, Boyle, Lyle, Baird, Hewitt