Report

Photographs by Paul Flynn.

MURRAY’S MATCH REPORT

Talbot booked their place in the semi-finals of the Scottish cup thanks to an impressive 2nd half display and some memorable goals; sweeping aside Pollok at a packed Newlandsfield.
Kick off was delayed to allow the bumper crowd into the park and once the action got underway it was the home side who made the early running.
The first effort at goal came in the 5th minute. McPherson lost the ball midway inside his own half & Pollok quickly switched the ball out to Gary McCann on the left. He sped to the bye line before cutting it back into the area to find Forde who volleyed it well over the bar.
Talbot were struggling to get going and it took until the 12th minute before the Bot mustered their first effort at goal. Graham Wilson’s reverse ball released Samson down the right of the area & he hit a first time effort over the bar.
The home side got in behind the Talbot defence in the 14th minute when a long diagonal found McCluskey haring clear on the left. He tried to square it across the face of goal but Leishman did well to turn it behind for the corner. When the corner came in it fell to Evans who scuffed his shot. The ball came out to Gary McCann at the edge of the area where he fired way over.
Pollok were enjoying a good spell but with no end product. Gary McCann raced down the left & lifted a cross over onto the head of Stuart McCann but he glanced it well wide of the left post.
Having weathered the early pressure Talbot gradually worked their way into the game. Longmuir had to race out his area to beat Samson to the ball after Evans missed his clearance and soon after Evans conceded a free kick just outside the penalty area for a foul on Samson. Glasgow took it & fired it into the feet of Graham Wilson. It broke away from him & came to Harvey with his back to goal & he turned & hooked a shot over the bar.
Talbot’s best effort of the first half came in the 27th minute. Evans gave the ball away to Graham Wilson who swiftly switched it out to the left to Glasgow. He drilled a low ball across goal that Hyslop met at the near post but he steered his shot just wide of target.
The referee produced the first card of the afternoon in 35 mins when he cautioned Graham Wilson for a trip just inside the Bot half.
Pollok were lucky not to be a man down after 41 mins. Henry was guilty of a lunging studs up tackle that caught Armstrong sparking a melee in the centre. When the dust finally settled the ref booked the Lok midfielder & Lyle also received a caution for his part in the stramash.
In the final minute of the half Pollok had a half chance to take the lead. A ball over the top found McCluskey & he fed it back to Stuart McCann in space at the edge of the area but in keeping with Pollok’s finishing to date, he slid his shot well wide of the left post and the sides went in locked at the interval.
In a repeat of last week Talbot came out for the 2nd half like a team on a mission. Soon after the re-start Samson made tracks down the right & forced a corner kick. Glasgow lifted it into the near post where Hyslop flicked it on. The ball sped across the face of goal before coming to Harvey beyond the back post & his low shot was blocked by Longmuir at his right post.
Talbot were back on the attack moments later. Lyle’s ball up the right found Samson running in behind & he whipped over a teasing cross that had Longmuir scrambling but there was no one on hand to turn it home.
For all Lok’s possession in the 1st half Leishman hadn’t had much to do but he produced a top drawer save to prevent Pollok taking the lead in the 54th minute. The home side put together a neat passing move, switching play out to McCluskey on the right who drilled a low ball across goal. Stuart McCann ran onto it & directed it on goal only for Leishman to turn it round his left post from point blank range.
Boyle had his name taken on the hour mark for a foul on Graham Wilson.
Tucker made his 1st change after 63 mins with White coming into the engine room in place of Armstrong.
The opening goal came in the 65th minute and was a strike worthy of winning any game. Samson did well to force a corner and when Glasgow delivered it into the centre Boyle headed it clear. It came out to GORDON POPE 20 yards out & he lashed an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.
Four minutes later Boyle conceded a free kick 30 yard out for a foul on Graham Wilson. Pope took it & his powerful drive was heading into the roof of the net until Longmuir tipped it over the bar.
Talbot then threatened again from the resultant corner. Glasgow’s cross found the head of Graham Wilson & his effort was deflected wide of the left post off a Lok defender with the Bot players loudly appealing, in vain, for handball.
The Bot kept the pressure on & when the next corner came in the Lok defence could only clear it out as far as Stephen Wilson on the right wing. He whipped a cross over to the back post which broke into the path of Pope who angled a shot across goal and wide of the left post.
Talbot made their 2nd change of the afternoon in the 73rd minute with Shankland replacing Glasgow down the left.
A minute later Leishman made his 2nd class save of the match to keep Talbot in front. A long ball down the right cleared McPherson & Stuart McCann latched onto the end of it inside the area. He blasted it on target only for Leishman to turn his shot over the bar.
With 76 mins gone both sides made a substitution; Talbot completing their changes when McIlroy replaced Graham Wilson & Pollok bringing Fraser on for Forde.
Pollok looked to be tiring & Talbot nearly caught them out in the 80th minute. McIlroy threaded a pass through the centre to send Samson racing through but he pulled his shot wide of Longmuir’s right post.
Talbot were firmly in the driving seat in the 84th minute when they doubled their lead. Sloppy play from Pollok saw Sideserf play Boyle into trouble & White duly robbed him of possession. White surged forward before passing it through to KEIR SAMSON who raced into the area & slotted a low shot on target that Longmuir got a hand to but couldn’t prevent from crossing the line.
With two minutes remaining Pollok piled forward desperately looking for a goal. McCluskey switched it out wide to Gary McCann whose cross was blocked behind for a corner. Pollok appealed for a penalty but the ref wasn’t interested. When the corner came in it was played deep to the back post where McGregor fired into the side-netting from a tight angle.
In the final minute of time Talbot put the seal on their win with a spectacular 3rd goal. Shankland picked up on the left & sent a diagonal ball through toward McIlroy as he raced clear. Longmuir raced out his area to beat Sean to it & clear but he knocked it straight to STEPHEN WILSON who lobbed it from just inside his own half & weighted it perfectly to drop just under the bar & over the retreating Longmuir to make the final score 3-0.
A very impressive display by the Bot against a Lok team who have been on a good run. Due to the Hurlford v Clydebank tie going to a replay Talbot’s fixtures have been switched around & so next week it is back to Beechwood where Talbot host Cambuslang in the league.

Pollok – Longmuir, Evans, Mackenzie, Sideserf, Boyle, McGregor, McCluskey, Henry, Stuart McCann, Forde, Gary McCann

Subs – Coutts, Young, Fraser, Brash, Johnson (gk)

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, Harvey, Armstrong, Hyslop, Stephen Wilson, Graham Wilson, Samson, Glasgow

Subs – Shankland, McIlroy, Kemp, White, McCracken