Report

MISSED CHANCES COST TALBOT DEARLY

Report by Murray Steele, photographs by Craig McGhee. video Lee Conn.

Talbot paid the penalty for failing to take their chances as they narrowly lost out to Pollok in the opening game of the league campaign.

Tucker’s new look side made the early running and had the first chance after 3 minutes. Fry had to race off his line to beat Thomson to Wardrope’s through ball and the loose ball broke out left where it was crossed back into the centre. It was cleared to the edge of the area where McCracken met it and his low drive was held by Fry.

A minute later Talbot saw a penalty claim turned down. McCracken took a free kick wide on the left and angled it across to Thomson who headed it down into the heart of the area. Boyd went to meet it and looked to beat Fry to the ball who bundled into him but the decision didn’t go Talbot’s way.

The Bot had a sustained period of pressure around the 8^th minute that started when Smith found Thomson out on the right and his shot was deflected behind. Pollok couldn’t clear their lines from Wardrope’s first corner and the ball found its way back out to him on the left. He swung a cross to the far post where Slooves was waiting but the Lok defender did well to head it behind. This time the corner was played into the near post where McPherson glanced a header on that was blocked by Forrester’s outstretched arm and the ref pointed to the spot.

Boyd stepped up to take it but got blasted his spot kick well over the bar.

Pollok’s first effort came in the 11^th minute when Maley latched onto a Bot mistake at the edge of the area and tried to bend a shot for the far corner that Glavin comfortably saved.

Talbot were still having the best of it but weren’t making the most of a number of set plays won as they had Lok pinned back.

Talbot passed up a great chance to take the lead in the 24^th minute. Smith played a good ball in from the right to find Boyd’s run inside the area but Fry did well to block his effort. The ball came out to Wardrope on the left and he played it across the 6-yard area where Smith met it at the back post but he was falling back as he hit it and sent his effort wide of target.

Just after the half hour mark Pollok won a free kick midway inside the Bot half for McCracken’s challenge on Christie. The free kick was lifted into the box where it was headed clear and came out to McKenzie 19 yards out who pulled his shot well wide of the right post.

A minute later Healy became the first name in the ref’s notebook when he was cautioned for a trip inside the Lok half.

In the 35^th minute Christie played a dangerous cross in from the right which McKenzie failed to make contact with and it flew through to Glavin.

Soon after McCracken had to leave the field injured to be replaced by Park and Talbot shuffled the back four around with McPherson moving into the centre.

Four minutes from the interval Talbot broke down the right through Thomson. When the ball came into the box Healy swivelled on it and sent a shot crashing off the underside of the bar but the ref had blown up for an earlier infringement.

On the stroke of half time Rumsby had his name taken for obstructing Thomson as he broke forward. Talbot didn’t make the most of the resultant free kick but managed to keep the pressure on and in the last action of the half Smith’s cross into the centre ended in a scramble inside the 6-yard area. However, the ball didn’t break Talbot’s way and Pollok held on to go in level at the break.

Pollok made a change during the interval with Barr on at right-back in place of Burrows.

Four minutes into the half and Hutton became the 2^nd Lok player cautioned when he saw yellow for a professional foul on Thomson who was racing up field.

In the 56^th minute Thomson squared the ball inside to Healy who fired over from distance.

Pollok then raced up the other end where Maley’s low ball in from the left was cut out by McPherson who turned it behind for a corner. When the corner came over to the back post Forrester met it and his effort was heading inside the right post but was blocked by McKenzie who was lying in the goal mouth.

Two minutes later Pollok won a free kick 25 yards out when Lindsay was bundled over by Smith. Maley took it and his dipping shot just cleared the bar.

The Bot support thought Talbot were on for their 2^nd penalty of the afternoon in the 64^th minute. Armstrong played it into the feet of Thomson who was bundled over by a sliding tackle as he burst into the area but the referee judged it to be a good tackle and waved play on.

Both sides now made further changes with Gillies coming on for Boyd for Talbot and Kerr replacing McKenzie for the home side.

The Bot fans were upset by the officials again in the 70^th minute when Smith was blatantly taken out off the ball as he ran up the right wing but nothing was given.

Tucker now made his final changes of the afternoon with Kennedy & Langan replacing Thomson and Wardrope.

The Bot fans began to suspect it wasn’t our day when Talbot came close again in the 74^th minute. Healy’s cross from the left put Fry under pressure and the loose ball came out to McPherson 15 yards out whose low drive was heading inside the left post until deflected wide by Forrester.

Pollok now made a double switch with Anderson & Gallacher on in place of Forde & Maley.

Talbot’s next attack saw Smith latch onto a ball up the left before squaring it inside for Langan. He fed it on to his right to find Kennedy whose shot was blocked behind for a corner.

Glavin was called into action in the 77^th minute. Christie’s low drive from the right of the area was saved low to his right and McPherson then completed the clearance.

Action then switched to the other end as Talbot raced forward on the counter. It was played to Kennedy at the right corner of the box and his drive was turned round the left post by Fry.

In the 81^st minute Smith did well out on the left and cut it back into the box for Langan but he couldn’t get his feet sorted and the chance was lost

Pollok made the breakthrough in the 82^nd minute. GALLACHER cut in off the left of the area and whipped a right foot effort into the far top corner giving Glavin no chance.

Two minutes later Anderson had his name taken for kicking the ball away.

Talbot couldn’t make any impression late on and Lok held out to secure all 3 points.

An encouraging display with a disappointing outcome. Talbot now head back to Beechwood where they host newly promoted St Cadocs on Wednesday night.

Pollok – Fry, Burrows, Forrester, Rumsby, Gow, Hutton, Christie, Lindsay, Forde, McKenzie, Maley

Subs – Anderson, Gallacher, Barr, Duff, Morgan, Kerr, Longmuir

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, McPherson, Wilson, Slooves, McCracken, Healy, Armstrong, Wardrope, Boyd, Smith, Thomson

Subs – Kennedy, Gillies, Langan, Black, McMillan, Park, Henry