Report

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

A depleted Talbot squad gave it their all and were unlucky not to take all 3 points in a tense draw away to table topping Rob Roy.
There was little between the sides in the opening spell, though the home side found themselves temporarily a man short when Sawyers took a head knock when challenging Leishman for the ball.
The first move of note came from Talbot in the 12th minute. Young released Pooler down the left & he played a good early ball into the near post where G Wilson side-footed it past the right post.
Fraser, the Rob Roy captain, had his name taken in the 15th minute for a late challenge on G Wilson in midfield and a minute later Sawyers was able to return to the fray after being patched up.
Ex-Bot player Boyle joined his captain in the ref’s notebook in the 29th minute for a foul on G Wilson.
The home side, with the wind at their back, were pushing Talbot back and they threatened the Bot goal twice in quick succession just after the half hour mark. Firstly Sawyers turned sharply in the box to create space for a shot, only to see his shot deflected behind for a corner. When the corner came over from the right, Boyle climbed to meet it but sent his header crashing against the right post.
Rob Roy had a half chance in the 37th minute. A long ball down the left was nodded on, releasing Watt down the left. He chipped it across goal looking to find McGuire 6 yards out but it went behind him & Talbot cleared their lines.
A minute later Talbot had a good chance to take the lead. White won the ball on the left & knocked it into the path of Pooler on the left edge of the penalty area. He spotted the keeper off his line & tried to lob it but didn’t get enough on it.
Leishman was called into action in the 41st minute after Talbot conceded a free kick just outside the box. Gallagher curled it on target & Leishman was on hand to tip it over the crossbar.
Pope became the 1st Talbot player cautioned when he brought McGuire down out on the right wing.
In the final minute of the half Thomson had a chance to put Talbot in front. Walker was guilty of a slack square ball across the edge of his own penalty area. Thomson intercepted it before it got to Boyle but drilled his shot straight at the keeper.
The 2nd half was only three minutes old when Rob Roy nearly caught Talbot out with a swift counter-attack. They successfully defended Pope’s corner into the back post & having cleared their lines worked it down the right where Gallagher was tripped just outside the penalty area. The free kick was lifted into the near post where Lyle headed it clear.
McGuire became the 3rd Rabs player cautioned when he talked himself into the book in the 50th minute.
Rob Roy were awarded what looked to be a soft free kick a minute later, when Lyle was penalised for winning an aerial battle with Gallagher. Gallagher took the free kick & whipped a dangerous cross over to the centre where Sawyers saw his header deflected past. When the resultant corner came over Sawyers again got his head on it but placed it way over the bar.
Graham Wilson was very unfortunate not to get his name on the scoresheet in the 55th minute. Thomson, out on the left touchline, hooked the ball over the static defence for G Wilson to race onto & he thumped a shot that came crashing off the underside of the bar before Green nodded it behind.
A few minutes later Pooler tried his luck from 22 yards out but pulled his shot wide of the right post.
Sawyers received a caution in the 61st minute. He was off the field for treatment & ran back on without permission when he saw a chance of challenging for the ball.
The playing surface brick hard & it nearly worked to Talbot’s advantage when a Lyle free kick into the area took a high bounce, forcing the back pedalling keeper to tip it over the crossbar.
Pope took the corner into the near post & the home defence failed to clear it, heading it up into the air. G Wilson tried to head it back across goal & McKenzie appeared to block it with his arm whilst trying to chest it, but the referee ignored Talbot’s penalty appeal & awarded another corner. When this came over, Young glanced a header off target.
Talbot’s next attack saw Pope lift a ball down the left to find Pooler inside the area. He cut inside & shot for goal; his effort taking a deflection that saw it over the bar. Tucker now made a change with Stevenson on in place of Thomson. When the corner came over the Rabs defence failed to cut it out & it came to the feet of White who toe poked it goal ward but once again fortune wasn’t with Talbot & it came off the underside of the bar & bounced on the line before being cleared.
Rob Roy made a change in the 74th minute with Mackie coming on for McGuire.
The home side hadn’t been in it for a while but they should have taken the lead with quarter of an hour remaining. Sawyers found himself clean through on Leishman on the right but hit a tame effort that was more pass back than shot.
Pooler did well down the left in the 78th minute, showing good feet to beat Green before cutting it across the face of goal. G Wilson gathered on the far side of the area & fired a shot over the top.
Rob Roy made their 2nd change in the 80th minute; Hughes replacing Sawyers up front & the sub was barely on the pitch when he missed a decent chance to put Rob Roy ahead. A ball in behind the Bot defence found him 20 yards from goal with Leishman well off his line. He dinked the ball past the advancing Leishman but steered it well wide of the left post.
The assistant referee came to Rob Roy’s rescue in the 83rd minute when a poor offside call robbed Talbot of the lead. A Bot free kick out on the right was flighted across to the back post where Pooler climbed to head it back across goal. Young, who was being played onside by Boyle, volleyed it home, only for the assistant ref to incorrectly flag for offside.
Three minutes from time Talbot had one final chance to take all 3 points. Pope lifted a free kick down the centre that eluded the Rabs central defence. Young, with his back to goal, tried to glance it past the keeper but just failed to make contact.
In the final minute of regulation time the assistant referee again came to Rob Roy’s aid. Young lofted a ball down the centre where G Wilson got the better of Boyle. He looked set to race clear but the linesman saw something no one else did & his flag brought him to a halt.
Twice Talbot were a fraction off taking the lead, and had a perfectly good goal disallowed, but if you’d asked any Talbot fan before kick-off they’d have been happy with a point and with Glenafton losing, Talbot are still right in the mix.
Next up for Talbot it is back to cup duty as they host Ardrossan Winton Rovers mid-week.

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy – McKinven, Walker, McKenzie, Green, Boyle, Whelan, McGuire, Fraser, Sawyers, Watt, Gallagher

Subs – McCall, Hughes, Pearson, Mackie, Brown (gk)

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, Harvey, McPherson, S Wilson, Young, White, Pooler, G Wilson, Thomson
Subs – Stevenson, McCracken, Sloan, McCluckie, Hewitt (gk)