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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS REPORT

Talbot left it late but came good in the end to claim all 3 points at Portland Park and narrow the gap on leaders Pollok.

Both sides set a helter-skelter pace from the start with challenges coming thick and fast and neither side being able to settle on the ball.

In the 19^th minute an aerial challenge saw Samson & Jamieson clash heads with both players flat out on the turf. Troon’s Jamieson came off worst & the game was held up for a while to allow treatment before play eventually resumed with Gallagher returning to the fray bandaged up.

Neither keeper had been called upon until the 28^th minute when Stafford’s cross was met by Samson and Fisher blocked his header to his right. The ball went loose & Samson went for the rebound but couldn’t force it home.

Two minutes later Talbot had another opportunity. Mason dribbled into the box but was crowded out by a posse of Troon defenders. The ball broke back to Graham Wilson and he pinged a cross over onto the head of Samson but he couldn’t keep it down.

In the 34^th minute Moore picked up the game’s 1^st caution when he flattened Glasgow 25 yards out. The resultant free kick was a bit too wide right for Glasgow to go for goal & instead he whipped in a dangerous cross that flicked off a Troon head & headed out for a shy.

Talbot’s next attack saw Aiden Wilson float a cross to the back post which was headed back across goal. Samson just failed to connect and after a bit of a scramble in the box Troon were finally able to clear their lines.

A poor refereeing call cost Talbot in the 43^rd minute. Samson was taken out late after flicking the ball into the path of Aiden Wilson who was surging clean through on the keeper but the ref blew up too quickly not allowing Talbot the advantage and brought it back for a free kick and booked S Wilson.

Glasgow took the free kick and powered an effort on target from 30 yards that Fisher gathered at the 2^nd attempt.

As the half moved into added time it was the home side who finished the stronger. Leishman did well to punch Morrison’s cross clear and Troon then managed to force a series of corners which Black swung into the goal mouth but the defence stood firm & Leishman clutched one under the bar as Talbot held out to go in goal less at the interval.

Talbot started the 2^nd half brightly & threatened in the 51^st minute when Hyslop’s clever reverse pass sent Stafford free. He cut it back across goal where Sherrie did well to clear for a corner. Glasgow played the corner into the near post area where Samson headed wide of target.

The home side were forced into a change in the 53^rd minute when Jamieson’s head wound started bleeding again & he left the field to be replaced by McCloskey.

Troon ought to have taken the lead in the 59^th minute. They won a free kick wide on the left that was played into the centre where it was headed clear. The ball came out to Moore in space on the right and he crossed it over to the far post where Miller met it but steered his free header across goal and wide of the left post when it looked easier to score.

Talbot made their first change in the 67^th minute with Boylan coming on in place of Mason.

The sub was involved straight away when Glasgow’s ball out right found Boylan on the overlap and his fierce ball across goal was bundled behind by Fisher at his near post. Armstrong came across to take the corner on the right & when it came across Hyslop met it & glanced a header that beat Fisher but came off the base of the right post & ran back across goal before going behind for the goal kick.

Talbot were now taking command & Maitland could easily have put the ball into his own net in the 71^st minute when Glasgow whipped a dangerous ball across goal that Troon’s centre-half hoofed over his own crossbar from close range.

In the 76^th minute Talbot were awarded a free kick 30 yards out near the left touchline after Miller’s foul on Glasgow; however it was Glasgow who ended up in the ref’s notebook, presumably for dissent. Glasgow went for goal & curled a shot shot just over the bar.

As the game entered the closing stages both sides made a further change – J Black replacing B Black for the home side & Shankland coming on for Glasgow.

The change instantly paid off for Talbot with Shankland involved in the move that saw Talbot take the lead in the 86^th minute. His backheel flat footed the defence sending Stafford through on the right and when he cut it back HYSLOP ran onto it to steer a shot into the empty net.

Talbot kept the pressure up and had a half chance to kill the game off in the 88^th minute. The Bot were awarded a free kick out on the right following S Wilson’s handball which Shankland took. Troon did well to defend his delivery but at the expense of a corner and when Shankland’s corner came deep to the back post Hyslop met it but headed over the bar.

A minute later Talbot won a free kick just wide of the penalty area after Sherrie went right through the back of Stafford for which he received a deserved booking. Shankland swept it to the back post where Troon managed to glance it behind for the corner.

Deep into injury time Talbot grabbed their 2^nd to make sure of the points. Sherrie’s sliced clearance came out to Boylan in space down the right. He crossed it into the centre where KIER SAMSON acrobatically steered an overhead kick inside the right post to make it 2-0.

Tucker now completed his changes with Samson making way for Robbie McCracken shortly before the ref blew for full-time.

Another good win on their travels for Talbot who now return to Beechwood mid-week where they face Kilbirnie in the match that fell foul of last week’s storms.

Troon – Fisher, McLevy, Maitland, Miller, Sherrie, B Black, S Wilson, Moore, Morrison, Jamieson, Gallagher

Subs – McCloskey, Vernon, Boyd, J Black, Macauley, O’Neil (gk)