Report

Talbot made wholesale changes for this 3rd round West tie but still had enough to see off Maybole & advance to the quarter finals.
The fans basked in the sunshine, enjoying the fine weather, but with little to keep them engaged on the park in a dull 1st half.
Talbot enjoyed the bulk of the ball but the 1st real chance came Maybole’s way in the 18th minute. Scott headed Peacock’s long ball out to the right to find Brown in space inside the area. He drilled a low shot back across goal which Leishman saved comfortably.
Maybole were content to sit in their own half, inviting Talbot onto them and with Talbot struggling to find their feet in the last third, the tactic worked during the 1st half.
In a 1st half of precious few chances Shankland had one of Talbot’s best in the 32nd minute. Pooler hit the bye line & cut it back into the area where Shankland ran onto it but side-footed his effort straight at Masterton.
A minute later Talbot had another opportunity to take the lead. A free kick was shoved short to Stevenson & he whipped a good cross over into the centre where White bulleted a free header over the bar.
Maybole could have been a man down in the 39th minute. Peacock lunged into a reckless tackle & was fortunate the referee only produced a yellow card, and that was about it for a tepid 1st half.
The 2nd half was 4 mins old when Scott picked up Maybole’s 2nd caution for a late challenge on Latta. Before Talbot could take the free kick, the tannoy crackled into life with an announcement that the police were requesting that all cars double parked on a street outside the ground be moved immediately to allow access, or the game would have to be abandoned. In a bizarre turn of events the game was held up for around 15 minutes whilst spectators, the referee & some of the Maybole squad had to leave the ground to shift their motors, before play was able to resume.
The short break didn’t do Talbot any harm and within minutes of the re-start they were threatening the Maybole goal. Shankland gathered on the left & fired a shot at goal that was blocked straight back to him. This time he whipped a cross into the 6-yard box which Peacock deflected over his own bar.
Maybole had barely crossed the halfway line yet they could have taken the lead in the 61st minute. Scott spun away from Latta inside the penalty area before firing a low drive wide of Leishman’s left post.
In the 69th minute another Maybole player found himself in the ref’s book when Connor was cautioned for a late challenge on Stevenson on the right touchline.
Talbot made their 1st change in the 77th minute with Milliken coming on for McCracken and the sub made an immediate impact being involved in the build up to Talbot’s opening goal in the 78th minute.
He gathered the ball on the left & rolled it back to Pope who swung a cross into the centre. The ball carried over Peacock’s head & found SHANKLAND 6 yards out with his back to goal & although he was falling over he still managed to hook the ball over his shoulder & inside Masterton’s left post to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

A minute later Talbot doubled their lead and effectively ended the game as a contest. Stevenson surged forward down the right before cutting the ball back to SHANKLAND who smashed the ball home from 15 yards out.

This was Stevenson’s last involvement as he made way for Steven Wilson. Maybole also made a change with Allen replacing Caldwell.
With two minutes remaining Maybole were unfortunate not to grab a late consolation. A diagonal ball from left to right found Allen in space inside the penalty area. He angled a shot back across goal that cannoned back off the inside of Leishman’s right post & bounced out before being cleared. Maybole now made two further changes with Bloy & Bell making way for Dunn & McMillan.
As the match moved into injury time McGoldrick picked up a caution for a late challenge.
Never the most entertaining of games but another win under Talbot’s belt before they head east next Saturday to face Linlithgow Rose in the 1st leg of the Scottish semi-final.

Maybole – Masterton, Sloan, Baird, Nicholas, Peacock, Bloy, Connor, Bell, Scott, Brown, Caldwell

Subs – Allen, Dunn, McMillan, Walker, Cruikshanks

Talbot – Leishman, Latta, Pope, McGoldrick, McPherson, McCracken, Stevenson, White, Shankland, Pooler, Thomson

Subs – Milliken, G Wilson, Lyle, S Wilson