Report

Report: Murray Steele, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Conn

“THROW IN” IT ALL AWAY

It was a case of déjà vu for Talbot as they drew 2-2 with Arthurlie for the 2^nd time this season and on both occasions will be left rueing not taking all 3 points.

The first moment of danger went the home side’s way. A long shy from the right was headed on by Anson and was heading for Kerr til it was nicked away by McAvoy at the expense of a corner.

When the corner came over it went beyond the far post where Roulston bundled it wide.

Talbot took the lead in the 11^th minute with their first meaningful foray forward. Boyle carried it down the right before clipping it into the penalty area. The attempted clearance only came out to the edge of the box where MICHAEL WARDROPE won the 50/50 challenge before firing a shot across the keeper and inside the right post.

Three mins later Talbot were back on the attack. Smith forced a corner down the right and when the corner was pulled back to Boyle he lifted it over the defence to find McAvoy but he’d strayed offside.

The Bot nearly doubled their lead in the 16^th minute. Wardrope played it up the right to find Smith who got down to the bye line before cutting it back. It came to McAvoy on the right of the area and his shot on target was pushed wide by the keeper. Talbot retrieved it out on the left and it was played back to Wardrope 20 yards out whose shot appeared to be heading on target til it hit off McAvoy and went for the goal kick.

A minute later Bradley had an effort from just outside the penalty area that cleared the bar.

Kerr had his name taken in the 18^th minute for a superman impression as he went sailing through the air in a vain attempt to con a penalty out the ref.

Talbot were having a bit of joy down their right and it nearly paid off in the 27^th minute. Boyle played a good ball out from the back to find McAvoy and he in turn fed it inside to find Wardrope on the right of the penalty area. He drilled it for the far side but this time Clarke made a good stop – pushing it wide for the corner. The corner from the left was overhit but McPherson managed to retrieve it and fire a low ball into the centre. The defence failed to clear it and it broke to Smith who saw 2 shots in quick succession blocked by defenders.

It was all square after 34 minutes. Wharton’s long shy came into the near post where Armstrong headed it inside the left post when trying to clear.

The goal lifted Arthurlie and they had a chance to move ahead in the 37^th minute. Roulston squared the ball to his left to find Dykes who fired a low shot wide of target.

Two minutes before the interval Talbot regained the lead. Smith chased a lost cause down the right and pressured the defence into a poor clearance which came straight out to MICHAEL WARDROPE who slotted a left foot shot inside the left post.

Arthurlie pushed forward in the closing stages of the half but Talbot held out to head in a goal to the good.

Talbot started the 2^nd half positively and won a free kick out on the left touchline in the 48^th minute level with the Lie penalty area. Wardrope curled it into the back post where Clarke punched it clear for a shy. When the shy came in it fell to Glasgow who couldn’t get his shot away and it broke to Boyle who fired over the bar.

The Bot had a good chance to double their lead in the 56^th minute. A header on came to Smith who slipped a pass through to McAvoy. He was in on goal and went for the lob but it dropped over the crossbar.

In the 66^th minute Arthurlie levelled for the 2^nd time and again it came from Wharton’s long throw-in. It was hurled into the centre and with no Bot player able to head it clear it fell to MAGEE who drilled a low shot past Glavin.

Talbot now made a change with Armstrong going off for Gillies.

Wardrope came close to grabbing his hat-trick in the 69^th minute when he let fly from distance only to see his effort sail narrowly off target with the keeper beaten.

Two minute later Talbot had a half chance to go back in front. Gillies cut in off the left only to see his shot blocked. It came across to Smith in space on the right of the area but he didn’t catch his shot cleanly.

In the 72^nd minute Gillies whipped a dangerous ball across the face of the Lie goal which found McAvoy at the back post but it broke off him and behind for the goal kick. McAvoy picked up a knock going for it and had to be replaced by Boyd.

Talbot were well on top and their next attack saw Smith fire a good low ball in off the right toward Glasgow which the defender just managed to clear in the nick of the time.

Arthurlie hadn’t been over halfway since the equaliser but were gifted a chance with quarter of an hour remaining. Wilson went to head a long ball clear but misjudged it and it skited across to Leyden on the left of the penalty area. He fired it on target where Glavin gathered at the 2^nd attempt.

Glasgow received what looked a very harsh booking in the 77^th minute following an innocuous challenge on Magee.

With 7 minutes remaining there was a nasty collision of heads in the Bot box when Wilson and Macneil vied for a cross. Both required treatment with Wilson coming out the worse of the two.

Talbot now made another change with Abed on for Smith.

With minutes remaining Langan came on for Wilson.

As the game headed into added time Talbot came close twice. Wardrope’s ball from the left of the area picked out Boyd at the back post and he looked certain to score but fired into the side-netting.

Deep into added time Schoneville surged up the left before squaring it inside to Wardrope whose 19 yard shot flew just over the crossbar.

A frustrating result for Talbot who had to settle for a point in the end. Next up Talbot are back in action on Monday night when they travel through to Kilsyth to take on Rob Roy.

Arthurlie – Clarke, Wharton, Magee, MacNeil, Bradley, Kerr, Roulston, Docherty, Leyden, Anson, Dykes

Subs – McGaughey, Bolger, Duncan, Eadie, McGuigan, McPherson

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, McPherson, Schoneville, Slooves, Wilson, Boyle, Wardrope, Armstrong, McAvoy, Glasgow, Smith

Subs – Boyd, Abed, Langan, Gillies, Urquhart, Lennox, Henry (gk)