WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP – Page 6 – Auchinleck Talbot Football Club

Nathan Lennox

SPONSORED BY: Loons Supporters Club, Allan Gardiner

JOINED TALBOT: July 2022

D.O.B: 31/03/2004

TALBOT DEBUT: Rossvale (Away), 24th September 2022, Scottish Junior Cup 2nd Round 4-2.

FIRST COMPETITIVE TALBOT GOAL, 16/12/23, v Vale of Leven, Scottish Junior Cup 4th Round. won 4-1.

FORMER CLUBS: Auchinleck Talbot u20’s

Jamie Ballantyne

Sponsor: Cameron Torrance; Isla McCurdy

BIO:

Jamie initially started his career at Rangers as a youth, prior to a move to Ayr United where he captained their u20’s for two seasons. He would then go on loan to Girvan FC where he won the league, prior to joining Benburb for their championship winning season.

Jamie then made a return to first team league football with Annan Athletic, before again returning to non league football.

Ross Taylor

SPONSOR: Jim McCluskie, Dorethy Lawrence

BIO: Ross joined Talbot in July 2022 after leaving Morton. He played the previous season on loan to Kilbirnie Ladeside where he became a fans favourite playing at right back. He has been a teenage sensation since joining Talbot and celebrated his Scottish Cup baptism by grabbing a hat-trick against Coldstream

Ally Park

SPONSORED BY:

POSITION: Defender/Midfield

JOINED TALBOT: July 2011. July 2022

D.O.B: 11/01/1990

TALBOT DEBUT: Cumnock Juniors (Away), 27th July 2011, Ardagh League Cup 5-0

FIRST COMPETITIVE GOAL: Ashfield (Home) 5th November 2011, WJFA Premier League 9-1

FORMER CLUBS: Rangers U20’s, Hibs U20’s, Clyde, Auchinleck Talbot, Glenafton Athletic, Beith Juniors.

Lewis Crawford

SPONSORs: Loons Supporters Club

The 22 year old 6ft right or left back joins as a free transfer from Lowland side Broomhill and has been training with Talbot for the last three weeks, which gave Tucker the chance to run the rule over the player before offering him a contract.

Lewis has had experience in the SPFL and the lower leagues starting his career at Dumbarton U17’s and Clyde U20’s. He was released by Clyde in July 2018 and spent a season at Petershill before making the move to the SPFL with Dumbarton. He spent over a year with the “Sons” which included a loan spell at Rossvale and an appearance at Pittodrie in 2020 when Dumbarton narrowly lost out to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup.

In September 2020 he left Dumbarton to play with Linlithgow Rose for a season and then Broomhill who were managed by former Talbot legend Davie Gormley.

Michael Wardrope

SPONSORED BY: The Late Tommy Griffin Jnr.

POSITION: Midfield

JOINED TALBOT: March 2022

D.O.B: 17/12/96

TALBOT DEBUT: Bonnyton Thistle (Home), 26th March 2022, WOSL Premier Division 3-0

FIRST COMPETITIVE GOAL: Glenafton Athletic (Home), 5th November 2022, WOSL Premier Division 3-1

FORMER CLUBS: Ayr United 17, Ayr United (13 appearances), Glenafton Athletic (Loan), Kilwinning Rangers, Ardrossan Winton Rovers (Loan), Hurlford United, Irvine Meadow.

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy v Auchinleck Talbot

Jack McDowell gets stopped in his tracks, as he tries to race forward.

Samson puts his point across after being fouled out on the wing.

Rob Roy clear the danger before Keir Samson can get to the ball.

The defenders ‘reach for the sky’ and shout for offside, as Keir races through.

Young McCracken threads the ball up the wing and starts a Talbot attack.

Samson goes hurdling out on the wing in order to evade a sliding challenge.

Another Talbot attack gets stopped by a last ditch tackle from Rob Roy.

I think Keir wants to start a ‘turf war’.

CHANCE!!! Rob Roy go close to scoring but Big Andy gets down low to pull off a good save.

Mark Shankland goes on the attack while trying to evade the outstretched leg of the defender.

With a break in the game, it is a good time to practice your best ‘Bee Gees’ dance moves.

Although under pressure, ‘Gee’ still manages to race away from his opponents.

GOAL…maybe??? ‘Shankers’ races in on goal, lobs the ‘keeper and puts the ball into the back of the net, however…

…as he and Talbot celebrate, Rob Roy claim there was a handball in the build up to the goal so…

…after a wee consultation between the referee and linesman, the match officials agree to ‘chalk off the goal’ for the handball.

WHAT-A-GOAL!!! Rob Roy make the breakthrough via a sensational strike from outside the box, as the ball smashes into the top corner of the net. 1-0.

And the Rob Roy players certainly showed off their best smiles after that brilliant goal.

Nothing quite like a celebratory team pile-up!

Aiden Wilson does his best to get to the ball but both the defender and the ‘keeper make sure he doesn’t.

Another great chance for Rob Roy but the ball goes straight into the arms of Leishman.

Samson takes a sore one while racing into the box.

The ‘keeper tries to get his mitts onto the ball before Keir can.

Craig McCracken fights for the ball on the deck during a stramash inside the Rob Roy box.

Big ‘Neily’ tries to go on one last attack for Talbot before the final whistle gets blown.

And the final whistle does get blown and Rob Roy begin ‘singing in the rain’ and celebrating their victory.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

Chris Stafford

SPONSORED: Colin Mitchell, Ashley Gardiner (Event Vocally)

BIO: Chris was on loan from Greenock Morton FC until the end of the 2022 season, and then joined the club at the start of the 2022/23 campaign. He started his career at Celtic Community Academy and Johnstone Boys Club before moving to Morton in 2013. He moved to the Morton reserves in 2019 where he had loan spells at Johnstone Burgh and Cumnock.