Report

Match Report by Murray

Talbot took this replay by the scruff of the neck thanks to a blistering start that saw the Bot two ahead within the opening 5 minutes.
The very first attack of the match saw Talbot open the scoring within a minute. A ball over the static defence found Milliken in behind and he thumped a shot on target that Moore parried at his near post. The rebound came back out to Milliken who clipped a cross into the centre where GILLIES volleyed home from 6 yards out.
BSC tried to respond and created an opening in the 3rd minute. Ferris turned smartly in the centre to create space and slotted a pass out left to Traynor. His cross deflected away off McGoldrick but came out to Carnwath who lashed a shot over the bar from 18 yards.
Talbot doubled their lead in the 4th minute. Milliken fed it out to Young on the right and WILSON met his precise cross at the back post to steer a header inside the right post.
Talbot weren’t hanging back and were pushing flat out for a third goal to kill the tie off. Pope created an opportunity for Wilson when his diagonal ball found him running forward on the right. Wilson attempted to chip the keeper but got too much on it and sailed it over the bar.
Gillies had a chance for his 2nd in the 7th minute. Milliken met Lyle’s deep cross and helped it back across the face of goal where Gillies rose to meet it; however he couldn’t get above the ball & his header lifted over the bar.
Moore produced a wonder stop in the 9th minute to deny Milliken. Wilson’s threaded pass split the defence sending Milliken through on the left. He powered a shot inside the near post which Moore batted away with his outstretched right hand.
Talbot were in total control at this stage and were very unlucky not to move further ahead in the 13th minute. Milliken again got in behind the defence and angled a shot past Moore that came off the foot of the left post. The ball rebounded out to Wilson who fired a shot off the same post and then saw his second effort blocked by Moore.
Carnwath became the first name in the book when penalised for a raised arm in an aerial challenge on Campbell.
Bembo showed there was still life in the visitors with a surging run up the right that saw him race into the Talbot box, only for Leishman to race off his line to smother the ball.
BSC made an early change with Johnston coming on to replace the booked Carnwath.
After the frantic start, Talbot took their foot off the pedal for a spell and BSC slowly began to play their way into the game.
Leishman was called into action in the 24th minute when Connolly found Traynor in space on the left and his low drive had to be turned wide of the left post.
An error by Lyle could have proved costly in the 27th minute. Whilst attempting to clear Traynor’s ball into the area he only succeeded in steering it across the box straight to the unmarked Connolly and Leishman had to be at his best diving to his left to keep out his effort.
BSC were enjoying a decent spell and Traynor had a go from distance in the 28th minute, sending a low drive wide of Leishman’s left post.
Just as the visitors were thinking of making a game of it, a defensive lapse provided Talbot with the chance to put the game beyond them. Bembo was caught out by a ball over the top and clipped Milliken from behind as he ran into the area. The ref pointed to the spot and POPE made no mistake, striking the ball inside the left post to put Talbot 3-0 ahead with half an hour gone.
Talbot threatened again in the 34th minute. Pope floated a free kick to the back post which Moore tipped away. Young gathered it on the right before passing inside to Milliken who in turn squared for Wilson to curl a shot wide of target.
A bloomer from the visitor’s keeper almost gifted Talbot a further goal in the 39th minute. Gillies hit a 1st time shot from the edge of the area that squirmed through the arms of Moore onto his left post but fortunately for him, it rebounded straight back into his hands.
As the half drew to a close Talbot came close to adding to their tally. Ramsay failed to cut out Young’s pass allowing Wilson to race free down the right. Moore came flying off his line to beat him to it but Wilson clipped the ball past him and the ball was heading into the net in slow motion until Home got back to knock it past his own post. Talbot couldn’t make anything of the set piece and the half ended with Talbot 3-0 to the good.
If anything the 2nd half was even more one sided as Talbot kept the pressure on their demoralised opponents.
Milliken tested the keeper in the 49th minute when he latched onto Wilson’s header but Moore was wise to his attempted lob and plucked it out the air over his head.
Two minutes later Milliken found the target again. This time he burst past Bembo inside the area before stabbing a shot at goal that Moore blocked at the near post.
It was 3rd time lucky for Milliken in the 53rd minute as he put Talbot 4-0 ahead. Wilson made a great switch of play from right to left to find MILLIKEN in space and he strode into the box and shot for goal and although Moore got a hand to it he couldn’t prevent it falling inside his right post.
Tucker made a change in the 59th minute when Milliken came off to be replaced by Steven Wilson.
Talbot’s sub was involved in the 63rd minute when Wilson whipped an early cross into the centre onto the head of Young who failed to take advantage, heading off target from 6 yards out.
BSC made a further change replacing Ferris with McDougall in the 65th minute.
As the clock wore on BSC’s discipline took a dip and Traynor picked up a caution for a late challenge on Steven Wilson.
Talbot made a double substitution in the 71st minute replacing Gillies & G Wilson with Shankland and Love.
Both subs were involved in a good move in the 74th minute. Shankland fed the ball out to Young who played in Love down the right. He fired on target but Moore parried it away at his near post.
Frustration got the better of Grey and the BSC midfielder picked up a yellow card with quarter of an hour to go.
Young came close to getting on the score sheet in the 77th minute. Pope played it out wide to Shankland and he laid it back inside where Young volleyed over the crossbar.
Love & Lyle played a neat one-two to send Lyle running clear on the right but he was halted just outside the penalty box when tripped by Connolly who was fortunate to escape a caution. With the defence anticipating the free kick being crossed in Pope took them by surprise as he drilled a low square pass to find Wilson in space 8 yards out but he didn’t make a clean contact, and his mis-hit shot was cleared.
Love had a decent chance to extend Talbot’s lead with 10 mins remaining. Young chested Lyle’s cross down into his path and as he ran onto it Moore raced off his line and did just enough to put him off, as Love lifted his shot narrowly over the bar.
Two minutes later a defensive blunder nearly resulted in a Talbot goal. Moore came to claim a cross at his back post but he collided with Traynor and spilled the ball. Love looked set to prod it home from close range but Moore made a swift recovery to dive and clutch the ball.
BSC should have gone a man down in the 83rd minute. McKinnon floored Wilson with a very late tackle, with no real intent to play the ball, but the referee only produced a yellow card.
Talbot’s final goal came 5 minutes from time. Wilson burrowed in from the right and when challenged it broke off him and landed straight at the feet of Young. His low strike beat Moore but Bronsky popped up to clear it off the line. He hooked it out to the left where Pope swung a cross in for HYSLOP to power a header into the bottom corner to make it 5-0.
White doesn’t score many but he was denied a peach of a goal with 3 mins to go when Moore tipped his 30 yard drive just wide of the left hand upright and when the corner came over Wilson glanced a header over the bar.
Talbot kept at it right to the end and almost added a sixth deep into injury time. Wilson played in Love down the right and he cut it back for Young who saw his shot tipped over the bar. From the resultant corner Campbell powered a header on target that Moore held at the 2nd attempt.
This was a vastly improved performance from Talbot who swept aside BSC in some style and could easily have won by a much higher margin. Next up for Talbot is a tricky away trip to Glasgow to face Petershill in the West of Scotland cup.
Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, Campbell, White, Young, Hyslop, Gillies, Milliken, G Wilson

Subs – Shankland, S Wilson, Love, Findlay, Cochrane, Boyd, Johnstone (gk)
BSC – Moore, A Bembo, Ramsay, Home, Bronsky, Carnwath, Ferris, Grey, Connolly, McKinnon, Traynor

Subs – Dryden, McDougall, Johnston, Cameron, Wilson (gk)