Report

MATCH REPORT BY MURRAY
Talbot’s first home game of the season went according to script as Talbot ran out comfortable 7-1 winners against Muirkirk.
The scoring started early as the Bot moved a goal ahead within 2 minutes. Love flicked the ball out right into the path of FINDLAY whose shot proved too powerful for Kirkland who got a hand to it but couldn’t prevent it dropping into the net.
Talbot piled the pressure on with the game confined to the Muirkirk half but couldn’t find the final ball needed to unlock a packed defence. When the second goal came after 17 minutes it came courtesy of an own goal. Pope drilled a diagonal ball in behind to find Love who raced to the bye line before firing a dangerous ball across the face of goal which MILLER turned into his own net.
Love came close to grabbing Talbot’s 3rd in the 25th minute. Young fired a low cross in from the right which Love met 15 yards out & powered a scissor kick wide of Kirkland’s left post.
Two minute later Butch was unfortunate not to add to Talbot’s lead as he dinked a shot from just inside the area that drifted inches wide of the post.
Love ought to have extended Talbot’s lead in the 32nd minute. He sped in behind the defence as they looked for offside and looked set for a one on one with the keeper but as he shaped to shoot, Beveridge raced back to make a last ditch challenge & the ball broke through to Kirkland.
The pressure continued but Muirkirk had plenty of bodies back & looked set to hold out until half time; however Talbot made it 3-0 a minute before the break. Love chased a ball into the right side of the area. Miller got there 1st but under pressure he hooked his clearance into the centre of the box where WELLS chipped it over the stranded Kirkland.
Tucker made a double switch at the break with Latta & Milliken joining the fray to replace Young & Love.
Milliken nearly added his name to the scoresheet in the 55th minute. He headed it past Condon & raced clear on the left before cracking an early drive just wide of the far post.
Muirkirk made their 1st change in the 58th minute with R Elder on in place of Hampson but within a minute Talbot moved further ahead. Pope hit a good, deep cross beyond the back post which Wells headed back across goal allowing GILLIES to nod home from close range.
Tucker made his final change just after the hour mark when Wilson came on for White with Gillies dropping into midfield.
WILSON made an early impact as he put Talbot 5 ahead in the 65th minute. He climbed well to meet Lyle’s cross & floated a header back across goal and inside Kirkland’s left post.
Muirkirk had never lost their discipline or desire despite the score and got their reward in the 67th minute. A shy from the right touchline was thrown into the near post where McKinnon was tugged to the deck. The ref pointed to the spot and RUSSELL coolly sent Johnstone the wrong way to pull a goal back for the visitors.
The loss of a goal fired Talbot up and Findlay passed up a good chance to restore Talbot’s five goal advantage within a minute of the restart. Milliken made tracks down the wing and fizzed a great ball across goal which found Findlay beyond the far post but he fired wide of target.
Muirkirk made two changes in rapid succession around the 75th minute; firstly Williamson came on for McCaig and then McKinnon limped off to be replaced by G Elder.
As the visitors tired the pressure intensified and Talbot spent the last ten minutes camped outside the Muirkirk box. The Kirk defence crumbled under the strain and Talbot moved 6-1 ahead in the 85th minute with the pick of the night’s goals. The Kirk defence could only partially clear a corner and it came out to MILLIKEN at the edge of the area where he rose to meet it before thumping a bicycle kick into the bottom corner.
The scoring was completed with 3 mins remaining. McGoldrick lifted the ball up the line to Pope who surged into the area where he was up ended by Condon. POPE dusted himself down and slid the penalty home to make the final score Talbot 7 Muirkirk 1.

Talbot – Johnstone, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, Miller, White, Young, Findlay, Gillies, Love, Wells

Subs – G Wilson, Milliken, Latta, Hyslop, Shankland

Muirkirk – Kirkland, Peck, Beveridge, Miller, McCaig, Condon, Wilson, Russell, McKinnon, Turnbull, Hampson

Subs – R Elder, G Elder, Williamson, McLean, Scott