Report

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

It’s been a long time since Cumnock last won at Beechwood & on this showing it is a miserable run which shows no signs of ending any time soon.
The opening exchanges were fairly tepid & it wasn’t until the 9th minute that either side created a chance and it came Cumnock’s way. Muir switched play out to Williams who fed it back to Wood. He hung a high cross into the area which Anson ran onto unchallenged but he steered his header wide of the left post.
This proved a costly miss as Talbot took the lead a minute later. Pope cleared the ball out of defence to find GRAHAM WILSON breaking down the left. He outpaced Lundie & hit it 1st time, beating Johnson at his right post to make it 1-0 to the Bot.
Talbot had a chance to double their lead in the 20th minute. Thomson played it into the feet of Graham Wilson outside the area & he squared it across to McCracken who let it run across him before firing a left foot shot just over the bar.
Montgomerie received the 1st caution of the afternoon, after 25 mins, for a late challenge on Lyle.
McKenna conceded a free kick just outside his own penalty area for a shove in the back of Steven Wilson. Young delivered the ball across the face of goal where McGoldrick met it but his effort was deflected wide of the left post & behind for a corner. Pope took it & delivered the ball into the near post where YOUNG beat Williams to it to glance a header away into the far corner to put Talbot 2-0 ahead with 27 mins gone.
And that was pretty much it for the 1st half, as Talbot looked content to sit on their lead, and Cumnock offered no threat whatsoever in the final third.
Talbot had a half chance to kill the game off soon into the 2nd half. Young floated a cross to the far post which McCracken headed up into the air. As it dropped Graham Wilson ran onto it but he hammered his shot over the bar.
The key moment in the match came in the 52nd minute when Cumnock were awarded a penalty. Lyle’s clumsy tackle sent Montgomerie to the turf & the ref pointed to the spot. Anson stepped up to hit it but he went for power over accuracy & blazed his spot kick wide of the right post.
Cumnock now made a double switch with McRobbie & Williams making way for Samson & McKenzie.
Graham Wilson passed up a good chance to put Talbot out of sight in the 57th minute. Leishman’s long ball down the centre cleared the Cumnock defence & found Wilson in space on the left of the area. He tried to take it wide of Johnson before firing a low shot on target which Johnson blocked.
Tucker made his first change in the 61st minute when Hyslop came on in place of Thomson.
Having missed the penalty Anson squandered another good chance to reduce the deficit in the 65th minute. Hunter’s corner found him unmarked at the front post but he placed his header into the side netting.
Talbot now made two further changes with Graham Wilson & McCracken being replaced up top by Shankland & Milliken.
Muir was fortunate to stay on the park in the 69th minute. He recklessly lunged into a tackle on Wilson studs showing but got off with a yellow card.
Talbot had a shout for a penalty in the 71st minute. Muir appeared to handle the ball whilst trying to shield it from Hyslop but the referee wasn’t interested.
Cumnock had an unsuccessful penalty claim of their own in the 78th minute. Samson got away down the right & fired it across goal. McGoldrick blocked it on the 6-yard line, with Cumnock claiming for handball, but the ref waved play on. Cumnock retrieved the ball & Samson lifted a cross over beyond the far post where Anson brought it down but he lifted his shot over the bar.
Shankland very nearly made it 3-0 to the Bot in the 80th minute. Young sent him free down the left & he raced into the area before steadying himself & floating a shot over Johnson which came back off the left hand post.
A minute later Milliken had a chance to get his name on the score sheet. Leishman fired a free kick into the Cumnock box which Young laid back into his path & he drilled a low shot on target which Johnson held.
Young picked up a caution in the 84th minute for a trip just outside the penalty area. Hunter took the free kick but scooped his shot way over the bar.
Down the other end Talbot had another decent penalty shout when Hyslop bulled his way through the Cumnock defence. He looked to be shoved in the back as he was about to shoot but again the referee gave nothing.
Cumnock’s final chance came in the 88th minute when they won a free kick 25 yards out. Samson shoved it short to Hunter who tried to bend it inside the right post; however Leishman got down well to turn it behind.
Deep it into injury time Talbot sealed the win with a well-taken 3rd goal. Boyle’s pass found SHANKLAND in space on the left. He cut inside, dancing past Lundie & Hunter before rifling a shot into the roof of the net.
This was a good win for Talbot who now take a break from league duties as they face Kilbirnie Ladeside next Sunday in the final of the Ardagh.

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, Boyle, White, Young, Thomson, S Wilson, G Wilson, McCracken

Subs – Shankland, Hyslop, Milliken, Stevenson, Harvey

Cumnock – Johnson, Wood, Muir, Lundie, McKenna, Esplin, Williams, Hunter, Anson, McRobbie, Montgomerie

Subs – Samson, Auld, Crawford, McKenzie, Buchanan (gk)