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PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS NATCH REPORT

Talbot once again made a mockery of the bookies odds with another giant-killing win at Beechwood park as they deservedly beat Hamilton Accies to book their place in the 4^th round draw of the Scottish cup.

The Bot made a slightly nervy start and Accies forced a couple of corners in the opening minutes but both deliveries were poor and sailed straight behind for goal kicks.

Glasgow had his name taken in the 4^th minute for a late challenge in midfield.

Hamilton had a half chance in the 6^th minute. A bout of heady tennis ended with the ball breaking to Ryan on the right of the area but his half volley under pressure sailed over the crossbar.

Talbot showed they weren’t just there to make up the numbers in the 8^th minute when they carved out a great opportunity to take the lead. Robbie McCracken clipped a ball up the right to release Glasgow and his cross to the far post found Healy in space 8 yards out but he didn’t connect cleanly and his left foot shot trundled straight at the keeper.

In the 11^th minute Talbot caught Hamilton cold on the counter-attack. An Accies corner from the right was headed clear by Armstrong and Talbot swiftly broke up the pitch. Shankland swept a great cross in from the left which Glasgow met beyond the back post and Hilton did well to turn his volley round the left hand post.

Talbot had settled well after the early wobble and it was the Bot who threatened again in the 26^th minute. Robbie McCracken’s pass sent Boylan clear on the right and he crossed it to the far post where Shankland headed it back down into the path of Graham Wilson whose shot was deflected behind off Stirling.

Hamilton hadn’t offered much but the visitors did have a clear sight of goal in the 29^th minute. There appeared to be a foul on Glasgow in the build-up but the ref waved play on and Hamilton worked it to Ryan inside the area but his low drive was smothered by Leishman.

The Bot fans were up in arms in the 33^rd minute when Boylan was taken out late as he flicked the ball on. The ref played advantage but when the move broke down no card was produced for what had been a cynical foul and the referee didn’t make himself any more popular a minute later when Stirling bowled Glasgow over near the touchline and no foul was given.

Talbot won a set piece 35 yards out in the 35^th minute following handball by Shields. Shankland swept the ball into the heart of the area where it was headed clear. The ball came straight to Armstrong at the edge of the area and he met it on the half-volley; firing on target but straight at Hilton.

A minute later Glasgow’s ball up the right forced Hilton to race out of his box to beat Shankland to the ball and fire it out for a shy.

As the half drew to a close it was Talbot who were pushing forward. Armstrong did well to win the ball then released a good early pass for Boylan. He raced forward down the left but Want got back to deny him with a perfectly timed slide tackle and the sides headed in goalless at the break with Talbot the happier of the two camps.

Hamilton were quickest out the blocks at the start of the 2^nd half and it took Leishman at his best to prevent them moving ahead in the 46^th minute. Munro cut in off the right and let fly from 20 yards and his shot was heading into the roof of the net but for Leishman stretching to touch it away. The ball came out to Ryan on the corner of the 6-yard area and he looked set to smash home the rebound but Leishman again rose to the challenge; blocking his low drive with his outstretched leg to complete a fantastic double save.

Accies tails were up and for the first time they pressed forward but the Bot defence gave nothing away.

Talbot made the first change in the 57^th minute when Samson came on in place of Glasgow.

In the 59^th minute Talbot nearly found a way through on the counter. Shankland won the ball in the tackle and sent a good early ball out to the right towards Samson who was haring into the box but Shields did well to cover his run and usher it back to the keeper.

Beechwood erupted on the hour mark when Talbot took the lead. The Bot won a shy out on the right which Samson launched into the area. Armstrong flicked it on at the near post and GRAHAM WILSON ran onto it and coolly sidefooted it past Hilton to make it 1-0.

Accies were rattled and there was a hint of desperation about Ryan’s effort at goal in the 62^nd minute when he fired a left foot shot well off target from distance.

The visitors made a change in the 63^rd minute with Redfern making way for Moyo and the sub had an early chance to make an impact. Hamilton won a free kick on halfway which was floated up to the edge of the penalty area. Talbot failed to clear it and the ball broke to Moyo 20 yards out in space but his angled drive went wide of the right hand post.

Hamilton were struggling to cope with Talbot at set plays and in the 66^th minute another shy from the right caused them problems. This time the defence managed to partially clear it but only as far as Graham Wilson whose fierce drive from 20 yards looked to be heading on target but was blocked by Martin’s head.

Two minutes later Samson surged up the right touchline evading two lunging challenges before sliding the ball toward the near post and the waiting Boylan but it was cut out by an Accies defender.

Talbot now made a 2^nd change with Boyd coming on to replace Shankland.

In the 73^rd minute Hamilton made their 2^nd change with Virtanen on for Martin and six minutes later the sub was in the ref’s notebook for a late challenge on Boylan.

With 10 mins remaining Samson did well wide on the right to burst free and his attempted ball across the face won Talbot a corner. When the corner came in Hamilton could only clear it out to the edge of the area where Boylan met it but he was falling back as he hit it and sent his shot over the bar.

Hamilton had a half chance in the 84^th minute when Moyo’s back-heel flick found Ryan in space 20 yards out but his shot went well wide of the right hand post.

As the game neared its conclusion Hamilton appeared bereft of any ideas and Talbot fans began to believe that another SFL scalp was there for the taking.

With 3 minutes remaining Talbot made their final sub with McDowall coming on in place of Boylan.

The visitors had one final half chance to level in the final minute of regulation time. Moyo rose to meet a cross from the right but his header looped up and over the bar and his frustration boiled over in injury time when he was fortunate only to be shown a yellow card for a two armed shove off the ball.

The Bot fans were made to wait for it as the ref added on 5 minutes of injury time but finally the final whistle went and the celebrations started – at least in the home end – those Accies fans who hadn’t left early headed for their own dug out to tongue lash their management team.

A fantastic display by Talbot who worked their socks off from first to last and now have Monday night’s 4^th round draw to look forward to for their efforts. Next week it’s back to Beechwood on league duty when Talbot host Benburb.

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

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

Hamilton Academical – Hilton, Popesu, Stirling, Martin, Ryan, Want, Hughes, Mimnaugh, Munro, Redfern, Shields

Subs – May, Virtanen, Hamilton, Smith, Mullin, Winter, Moyo, Matheson