Talbot did their hopes of chasing down Hurlford no harm at all with a 7-0 thumping of Petershill in the only top flight game to beat the weather.
From the outset Talbot took the game to the hosts and the only surprise was it took until the 10th minute for Talbot to fashion their 1st clear chance. McCracken lifted the ball over the defence to find Samson inside the area & he prodded a shot on target that Quinn blocked with his legs.
Petershill offered virtually no goal threat all afternoon & their one moment came in the 13th minute when Talbot were caught dreaming at a corner. It was knocked short into Hamilton & he flighted a dangerous cross to the back post which Pope headed clear.
The Peasies found themselves a man down after quarter of an hour. Armstrong’s ball found Samson racing clear & he was heading into the box until taken out by Crawford, leaving the ref no choice but to send him off. Pope took the resultant free kick but fired his shot straight at Quinn.
With 17 mins gone Petershill were forced to make a change when Hay limped off to be replaced by Pearson.
Talbot now turned the screw & spent a prolonged period camped out deep in the Petershill half. A good passage of play ended with Pope sliding the ball through to Glasgow & Quinn had to bat his cross away in the centre before Kennedy nodded it behind for a corner.
The corner was taken short to Glasgow who crossed it beyond the far post where Pope ghosted onto the end of it only to head it into the side-netting.
The incessant pressure finally told in the 23rd minute. Pope’s ball down the left found White inside the area & he played it across the face of goal where GRAHAM WILSON forced it home.
Three minutes later Quinn prevented Talbot from doubling their lead. Armstrong won the ball just inside the Peasies half before playing a one-two with Stephen Wilson. Armstrong continued on & slid it across the area where Samson side-footed it for the far corner; only for Quinn to turn it wide for a corner.
Quinn was having a busy afternoon and he did well again in the 29th minute. Glasgow gathered on the left before cutting into the box & trying to drill a shot inside the near post but Quinn dived low to his right to keep it out. Samson reacted quickly to retrieve the ball & cut it back to Armstrong who blasted over from 15 yards.
Ketterer received a caution in the 35th minute when he clattered through the back of Graham Wilson out on the wing. Pope took the free kick & lifted it to the back post where McCracken met it but his header flashed across goal and wide of target.
It looked to be only a matter of time til Talbot added to their lead & so it proved with the Bot moving 2-0 ahead after 37 mins. Armstrong’s cross was headed behind for a corner & when Glasgow put it across CRAIG MCCRACKEN directed a free header past Quinn.
The home side weren’t at the races and Talbot nearly added to their lead in the 41st minute. Stephen Wilson released Armstrong down the right & his pull back came to Samson whose low drive was brilliantly saved by Quinn. Talbot kept the ball alive & the pressure on & worked it back out to Armstrong on the wing. This time his cross fell into the path of Lyle around the penalty spot but he drove his shot wide of the right post.
Two minutes from the interval Quinn again denied Talbot; throwing himself low to his left to turn Pope’s deflected shot round his post. When Glasgow’s corner came in Graham Wilson met it unchallenged but his header drifted over the bar & Talbot had to be content with a two goal cushion at the interval.
Two up and with an extra man Talbot could have been guilty of dropping down a gear after the break but if anything they stepped up the pressure and a 3rd goal duly arrived after 53 minutes.
Glasgow lifted a corner in from the right & CRAIG MCRACKEN met it to glance a header into the far corner.
Tucker made his 1st change after 56 minutes with Shankland coming on for White.
Shankland was barely on the field when he had a chance to get on the score sheet. Glasgow whipped a cross over from the right beyond the back post where Shankland ran onto it but his header flew into the side-netting.
Just after the hour mark Quinn produced another top save to deny Talbot. Samson’s pace saw him make it to the bye line & Graham Wilson met his deflected cross at the near post only for Quinn to keep out his header from point blank range.
The Bot chances kept coming and Samson came close in the 62nd minute. Graham Wilson lifted the ball over the static defence to find Samson breaking into the left of the area & he took it early; firing a left foot volley across goal & just wide off the left post.
Tucker now made a double substitution, bringing on fresh legs up front with Kemp & McIlroy replacing Graham Wilson & Samson.
Two of Talbot’s subs were involved in Talbot’s next goal in the 67th minute. McIlroy spread the ball out left to find Shankland on the edge of the area. He drilled a shot on target that Quinn blocked at his right post but the rebound came straight out to SEAN MCILROY who headed home.
Kennedy became the 2nd Petershill player in the book when he received a caution in the 73rd minute for hauling down Stephen Wilson as he broke up field.
It was 5-0 to the Bot with quarter of an hour remaining after a fine individual effort. GORDON POPE intercepted inside his own half before speeding up the left into the Peasies box where he cut inside onto his weaker right foot & stroked it into the bottom corner.
Pearson made it a hat-trick of yellow cards for Petershill when he picked up a caution in the 80th minute for a shirt tug on Stephen Wilson.
Talbot made it six in the 84th minute. A good spell of possession ended with JAMIE GLASGOW running onto Shankland’s ball across the face of goal to crash a shot home off the underside of the bar.
With three minutes remaining Talbot carved out yet another chance. Shankland flicked the ball onto the overlapping Pope & his cutback found Kemp on the right edge of the area where he curled a shot back across and wide of the right post.
The scoring was complete in the 88th minute. Glasgow raced onto a ball inside the area where he was bundled over by L Crerand. The ref pointed to the spot & GORDON POPE gave the keeper no chance; hammering it home to make the final score 7-0 to Talbot.
Another superb away performance from Talbot and in truth the winning margin would have been more convincing but for a good display by Quinn. Now Talbot can turn their attention to next Sunday when they travel through to Tynecastle to face Hearts.Petershill – Quinn, Kennedy, Crawford, McCallum, Ketterer, Hay, Stokes, Kennedy, Cameron, Hamilton,L CrerandSubs – Shirkie, Maclennan, Pearson, D Crerand, FiandoTalbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, McCracken, Stephen Wilson, Glasgow, White, Samson, Graham Wilson, Armstrong

Subs – McIlroy, Shankland,Kemp, Hyslop, Waite