Report

LAST GASP TALBOT TAKE THE POINTS

Report: Murray Steele, Photo’s: Craig McGhee, Media: Ross Newlands.

As end of season fare goes this was one of the better ones with Talbot beating the Drum with an injury time winner to claim all 3 points.

The first chance of the game came Talbot’s way in the 3rd minute. Hardie conceded a free kick out on the right for a body check on Clark. Wardrope took it short – squaring it to Gillies who fired wide of target from 25 yards. In the 11th minute Kerr knocked a good ball out left to find Mitchell. He beat Greene and raced into the left of the area. He tried to find Nimmo in the centre but it ran through to Scully.

Drumchapel’s first effort at goal came in the 14th minute. Moore swung over a cross from the right touchline that was met 16 yards out by Novo and the veteran striker hit an acrobatic effort on target that went straight at Armour. Nicoll had his name taken in the 16th minute for a heavy challenge on Boyle. Talbot failed to make anything of the free kick and the visitors countered swiftly. An early ball was played down the middle for Novo who looked like he was breaking through on goal but Kerr recovered well and got back to usher it back to the keeper.

The Bot’s next effort at goal came when Slooves pinged it into the feet of Langan and he drilled a 25 yarder on target that flew straight at Scully. Drumchapel threatened on the counter in the 23rd minute. Nicoll played it into the feet of Novo out on the right and he squared it across the area looking for Moore but it was too far ahead of him and Armour gathered. A minute later the visitors took the lead. McNiff lifted it up the left wing looking for Idris. Slooves managed to head it clear but Idris retrieved it and slid it into MOORE who drilled a left foot shot into the opposite corner.

The Bot nearly came up with an immediate response. Kerr found Gillies out wide on the left and his low cross into the near post was met by Boyd whose effort was blocked by Scully. The game then entered a lull with the next effort at goal not arriving until the 36th minute. Gillies’s cross from the left was met in the centre by Boyd. His header came off a defender and spiralled on target with Scully forced to help it over the bar. Soon after Clark got free on the right and whipped a great ball across the face of goal that was just out of Boyd’s reach in the centre.

In the 39th minute Nicoll caught Boyle late in what could have seen him take an early bath but the officials failed to spot it. Four mins before the break Drumchapel threatened down the left. The ball was dinked over Clark to find Idris and he laid it back to Brander whose dangerous cross just flew over Moore in the centre. Slack defending then nearly gifted Drumchapel a 2nd. A shy from the right sailed into the box and when Talbot failed to clear their lines it came to Garvey but he couldn’t beat Armour from a tight angle. Talbot now raced onto the counter where Nimmo was halted by Greene resulting in a booking for the defender and a free kick to Talbot out on the left wing. Wardrope delivered a good ball into the centre but it didn’t break Talbot’s way and was eventually cleared.

A minute from the interval Talbot were awarded a penalty. Mitchell got to the bye line and floated a cross into the goal mouth where Hardie was adjudged to have been guilty of a shove. CONNOR BOYD stepped up and hammered it past Scully and inside the right post to level.

As the half moved into added time Talbot had a late chance to take the lead. Clark played it into the path of Boyd on the right of the penalty box and his low drive was blocked at his near post by Scully and the sides went in tied at the break. Drumchapel rang the changes at half-time with McNiff, Nicoll & Novo making way for Mackenzie, Finnigan & McCoist. Talbot made a positive start to the half. In the 47th minute Mitchell played it inside to find Gilllies inside the area and his low cross was held at his front post by Scully.

In the 50th minute Slooves hit a slide rule pass to find Boyd down the right. His low cutback was blocked behind by a defender for a corner. When it came over Scully made a meal of it – fumbling the ball – but managing to smother it at his near post at the 2nd attempt. A minute later Talbot had a decent chance to take the lead. Gillies cut in off the left and knocked over a good cross that Nimmo headed over the bar. Idris then had his name taken for a late challenge on Clark.

In the 54th minute Talbot were caught out by a straight ball up the middle. It was head flicked on into the path of McCoist who was tugged back by Slooves – resulting in a booking and a free kick just outside the area. Garvey took it but sent his effort straight into the wall. Three mins later the visitors had a decent chance to take the lead. A ball over the top found McCoist breaking into the left of the area but he didn’t have his father’s shooting boots on and angled his shot across goal and well wide of target.

In the 58th min Garvey had his name taken for going through the back of Mitchell just outside the area. Wardrope took the set piece but got right under it and scooped his shot way over. The Bot had a real chance to move ahead in the 61st minute. Boyd found Gillies in space on the left of the area. He could have went for goal himself but instead squared it inside to Mitchell who saw his low drive blocked by a defender. Within a minute Talbot were gifted another chance. Scully made a hash of a clearance and it was gathered by Nimmo on the right of the area. He tried to lay it across goal toward Mitchell but the keeper was able to cut it out.

Talbot now made a double switch with Clark & Gillies making way for McPherson & McCluskie.

In the 64th min Talbot came close again. Boyd drove a dangerous ball in from the right that flew across the face of goal which Langan just failed to connect with in the centre. Down the other end Armour came to Talbot’s rescue in the 66th minute. Boyle was dispossessed and Drumchapel broke forward through Moore. He drilled a low shot on target that Armour blocked. It came out to Finnegan on the right of the area but he took a heavy touch and it ran through to the keeper.

In the 67th min Talbot made another double change with Wardrope & Boyd being replaced by Sime & McAvoy. The Bot have been guilty at times of failing to convert their chances this season and so it proved again in the 69th minute. Sime whipped over a great cross from the left that had Bot players queuing up at the back post where Nimmo glanced it wide. In the Bot’s next attack Mitchell angled a good ball in from the left but there were no takers in the centre.

With quarter of an hour remaining Boyle had his name taken for a foul on McLaren who was fortunate to escape a booking in turn for his angry reaction. Hardie took the free kick and swerved a shot wide of the right post from distance. Two minutes later Talbot threatened again. Langan’s flick on found Nimmo bursting down the right of the penalty area. He hit it low on target where Scully made a good stop with his feet and a defender headed it behind for a corner. The Bot passed up another good chance to move ahead in the 78th minute. McAvoy guided a cross in from the wing right onto the head of Langan, either side and it was a certain goal but it went straight at Scully who made the save. The ball came back to Langan but his 2nd header was blocked.

The chances kept coming and a minute later the Bot came close again. A ball fired in off the right broke off Nimmo and went just wide of the left hand post. In the 81st minute Garvey took a wild swipe at it when trying to clear and sent it high into his own box. Nimmo retrieved it on the right side of the box and fired a shot on target from a tight angle that Scully blocked at his post. The Bot now made their final change with Mitchell limping off to be replaced by Hanlon.

In the 83rd minute Talbot won a free kick wide of the penalty area following a foul by Hardie. Langan delivered it to the far post where McAvoy steered a header wide of target. Talbot’s next attack saw Sime lift it up the left wing where McAvoy was up-ended by McLaren. He received a caution and Talbot were awarded a free kick 8 yards out near the touchline. Sime swept the free kick across the face of goal but no could get the crucial touch and it was headed clear at the far post.

In the 87th minute Slooves chipped it up the left wing where Kerr managed to force the corner. Langan swung it into the back post where McPherson met it but got his angles wrong and headed it back across and well wide. Having made and missed plenty of chances Talbot were nearly made to pay in the 88th minute. A long ball up field was headed on finding McCoist running in behind. He was one on one with the keeper but Armour came out on top as he blocked his low drive with his legs. It came out to Finnigan whose follow up effort was also saved by Armour.

As the game moved into added time Talbot had a chance when Nimmo cut in off the right and laid it back for McAvoy at the edge of the area but he guided his shot wide of the right post. Deep into added time Kerr won Talbot a corner down the left. Langan again delivered it to the back post area where McPherson headed for goal. His header was blocked but came to ANDY KERR who passed it inside the right post to put Talbot 2-1 ahead. With the clock running down Talbot then missed a sitter to extend their lead. Kerr gathered on the left and chipped it into the centre to pick out the unmarked Sime who volleyed it over the bar from 6 yards out.

A good win for Talbot that sees the Bot climb to 3rd in the table. Next up for Talbot it’s a return trip to Broadwood where they face Largs in the final of the West this Sunday.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Clark, Gillies, Kerr, Slooves, Boyle, Wardrope, Langan, Boyd, Nimmo, Mitchell  Subs – McAvoy, McCluskie, Sime, McPherson, Wilson, Scott, Hanlon

Drumchapel United – Scully, Hardie, McNiff, Garvey, Nicoll, Novo, Moore, McLaren, Idris, Greene, Brander Subs – McKinnon, McIntyre, McCoist, Mackenzie, Finnegan, Aitken, Crawford (gk)