Talbot might well have won by more but got the job done as they saw off Rossvale 4-2 to book their place in the next round of the Junior cup where Darvel await.

The game got off to a sluggish start with little of note happening in the opening spell.

In the 18^th minute Elliot picked up a yellow card when he wrestled Samson back as he tried to break forward.

The first effort at goal came in the 20^th minute. Boylan cut in off the left but he pulled his shot well wide of target.

A minute later came close when Mason fed the ball to Boylan on the left. He cut it back across goal where Samson stretched to meet it and sent it wide of the right hand post.

Talbot kept the momentum going and only a fine stop from Goodfellow prevented Boylan giving Talbot the lead when he latched onto Wardrope’s ball over the defence.

The goal had been coming and what a strike it was that gave Talbot the lead in the 24^th minute. Armstrong slid the ball into the feet of AARON MASON 25 yards out and he gave the keeper no chance as he hammered a shot in off the inside of the right post.

It was now one-way traffic and the only real surprise is that it took until the 32^nd minute til Talbot added their 2^nd of the afternoon. Wardrope angled a cross in from the right toward Boylan who was sandwiched between 2 defenders. No one could get a touch and it flew beyond the far post where Mason retrieved it and cut it back for BRYAN BOYLAN to pass it home from 6 yards.

In the 37^th minute Talbot threatened again when Wardrope knocked it into the feet of Mason. He had his back to goal but swiftly turned his marker before firing a shot just over the crossbar.

Two minutes later Samson and Wardrope combined down the right and when Wardrope swept a ball across the 6-yard area Boylan just failed to make contact in the centre.

Talbot looked to be on easy street but a defensive lapse gave Rossvale hope in the 40^th minute. There appeared little danger when a long pass was pinged into the Talbot box but there was a breakdown in communication between Leishman & McPherson with both leaving the ball to one another. Leishman did get a hand to it but as the ball broke loose McPherson nudged Malcolm over and the ref pointed to the spot and booked McPherson for the challenge. MALCOLM took the spot kick and sent Leishman the wrong way to narrow the gap.

The loss of the goal spurred Talbot forward and in the 42^nd minute Ballantyne tested the home keeper when he latched onto a weak clearance at a corner to send a low right footed drive on target that Goodfellow saved low to his right.

As the half moved into added time Talbot restored their two goal cushion. Boylan skipped past Crumlish down the left and floated a cross over to the far post where AIDEN WILSON headed home from close range to make it 3-1 to the Bot at half-time.

Talbot started the 2^nd half positively and nearly put the game out of sight in the 48^th minute. Samson headed the ball into the path of Ballantyne and Goodfellow did well to block his powerful drive. The rebound came to Boylan but again the keeper did well – rushing off his line to force Boylan to hurry and he sent his shot over the bar.

The Bot’s next chance came in the 52^nd minute when they won a corner down the right. Wardrope hoisted it deep beyond the back post where Crawford directed a free header back across goal that Mason turned wide of target.

In the 54^th minute McAvoy had his name taken for a trip on Samson.

You couldn’t see any way back into the game for Rossvale but once again they nabbed a goal out of the blue in the 58^th minute. Newlands sent a dangerous cross over from the left that Leishman came for but didn’t claim and the ball bounced off AIDEN WILSON near the back post for an o.g. to make it 3-2.

In the 63^rd minute Elliot had a lucky escape when he hauled Mason down after he’d turned him just outside the box. It looked worthy of a 2^nd yellow but the referee contented himself with awarding the free kick. Wardrope took it and went for goal only to see Crerand in the defensive wall stick up an arm to block it and the ref had no hesitation in pointing to the spot for the 2^nd time in the match.

KIER SAMSON took it and coolly slotted the ball home sending Goodfellow the wrong way to restore Talbot’s 2 goal cushion.

Talbot’s next attack was simplicity itself, Leishman bowling the ball out to Boylan in space on the right and he hared up the wing before squaring it across to Samson who saw his effort from 16 yards tipped over the bar. From the resultant corner Talbot had a great shout for a penalty. Boylan appeared to be bundled over as he went to meet it but the ref waved play on and as Rossvale broke down the right Aiden Wilson received a caution for a late challenge.

Rossvale’s keeper was having a good day and he came to their rescue again when Wardrope’s pass split open the defence to send Boylan through on goal but Goodfellow was quickly off his line and managed to block his shot which spun just over the crossbar.

Talbot picked up two bookings in the 73^rd minute – firstly Ballantyne was cautioned and then Mason was carded for dissent.

Ballantyne had a couple of chances to extend Talbot’s lead as the Bot ramped up the pressure. Firstly he met a corner from the right at the near post only to see his header scrambled clear. It came back out to him and he drilled a low shot on goal that Goodfellow eventually managed to hold following a spot of juggling.

In the 78^th minute Ballantyne passed up a good chance when he strode onto Samson’s cut-back, meeting it 15 yards out but he didn’t make a clean connection and his shot trundled wide of the left post.

A minute later Wardrope lifted a good cross into the centre where Mason glanced a free header wide from close range.

With 10 minutes remaining Tucker made a double switch with Park & Taylor coming on for Mason & Ballantyne and the subs were involved almost immediately with Taylor gathering Boylan’s cross beyond the back post and passing it back into the path of Park who lashed a shot just over the bar.

With a few minutes remaining Talbot made a further change with Shankland making a welcome return when he replaced Wardrope.

As the game headed into injury time Shankland nearly crowned his comeback with a goal. Taylor swept a cross over from the right that Boylan met beyond the far post. He laid it back to Shankland who clattered a shot off the right hand post.

Talbot now made one final change with Lennox coming on for Boylan.

Deep into added time Talbot had one final chance to add to their tally. Lennox cut in off the left and swung a good cross into the centre which was headed clear but only as far as Shankland. He thumped a shot at goal that was heading on target but for Samson who inadvertently blocked it en route.

Talbot’s second 4-2 win on the road in a row. After a string of cup ties it’s back to league business next Saturday as Talbot travel through to Newlandsfield to face on form Pollok.

Rossvale – Goodfellow, Crumlish, O’Donnell, Chatterton, Kelly, Elliot, Newlands, Crerand, Malcolm, McAvoy, Cridge

Subs – Bradshaw, McCormack, McAteer, Tuckett

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Crawford, Armstrong, Wardrope, Ballantyne, Boylan, Samson, Mason

Subs – Taylor, Shankland, Graham Wilson, Park, Lennox, Hewitt