Report

SHOT SHY TALBOT GET THERE.

Report: Murray Steele, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Ross Newlands.

It was an unfamiliar line-up that kicked off Talbot’s 25/26 pre-season as the Bot saw off Kilbirnie at Beechwood.

Talbot couldn’t have asked for a better start – taking the lead with their first attack in the 2^nd minute.

A ball down the left was flicked on into the path of Gillies and when he drilled it low across goal WHYTE stuck out a leg and sent it looping over his own keeper to put Talbot a goal ahead.

A minute later Talbot threatened again. Scullion threaded a pass down the right to Talbot 11 and he cut in on his left foot and curled over a dangerous cross that came off a Kilbirnie head and behind for the corner. When the corner came in it was met by Schoneville who glanced a header over the bar.

The Blasties first chance came in the 6^th minute. Walker whipped over a good cross from the left that forced Schoneville to head it behind. When the corner was played in deep Talbot managed to head it clear where it came out to Walker who drilled a shot from 20 yards well wide of the right post.

The Bot’s next attack saw Scullion released down the left. He dinked a cross into the near post where McGowan managed to punch it clear.

In the 18^th minute Talbot came within a whisker of doubling their lead. Talbot 11 fed the ball wide to the overlapping Thomson who beat his man and cut into the penalty area. He pulled it back for Talbot 17 in front of goal but his low drive was blocked. It fell to Talbot 9 who saw his effort cleared off the line by a defender.

Talbot became more dominant as the half wore on, monopolising the ball but without producing any great threat in the final third. A number of free kicks were won in promising areas but Talbot ended up with nothing to show for it.

In the 33^rd minute Schoneville fed it on to the overlapping Gillies and he whipped a great low ball across the face of goal with Talbot 9 just failing to meet it on the 6-yard line.

Four mins later Langan surged through the centre before spreading it out left to find Gillies. He played it back across to Thomson but it went just behind him and when he spun and shot he sent his effort well wide.

In the 41^st minute Talbot had a half chance to extend their advantage. Following a good spell of possession Thomson slid the ball through to find Talbot 11 in space on the right edge of the box but he snatched at his shot and sent it wide of target.

Talbot kept pressing but to no avail and the sides went off at half-time with the Bot a goal to the good.

Talbot made a triple substitution during the interval with Talbot 9, 17 & Scullion making way for Nimmo, Wardrope & Talbot 12. Kilbirnie also made a couple of changes with Boyd and a trialist coming on.

The 2^nd half started as the first had ended with Talbot pushing for another. In the 49^th minute Talbot 12 rode a couple of challenges before the ball broke to Nimmo. He switched it out right to pick out Thomson in the area but when he pulled it back across goal there were no takers.

In the 52^nd minute Thomson raced forward into the box where he saw his low drive blocked by a defender. It fell kindly to Talbot 11 whose low shot was well saved by McGowan who pushed it wide of the left post.

Kilbirnie hadn’t offered much going forward but came within inches of levelling in the 56^th minute. A Kilbirnie trialist got in behind down the left and carried it into the area. He tried to find the bottom corner only to see his shot come back off the base of the left post. It came out to a Kilbirnie player 5 yards out but Schoneville managed to block his shot behind for a corner.

On the hour mark Talbot made their final change with Kerr on in place of Hanlon.

Again, Talbot began to dominate the ball but were maybe a bit guilty of over-egging it in the final third. In the 68^th minute Wardrope burst forward towards the box. He had the chance to shoot but opted to slip a pass in behind which the defence intercepted.

Whilst it was never a dirty game the visitors were riding their luck with a succession of fouls that would have resulted in a flurry of yellow cards on another day.

In the 79^th minute Talbot finally made their pressure count with the 2^nd goal of the afternoon. Nimmo was fouled 30 odd yards out and Langan angled the free kick down the left of the area to find McPherson. He guided a header back across goal where ALEX NIMMO reacted to turn it home from close range after a defender had sliced it off his own bar.

Six minutes from time the ref’s patience finally ran out and he carded Kilbirnie 10 for his umpteenth foul after he up-ended Talbot 11.

In the 87^th minute the visitors grabbed a goal back. They were awarded a free kick out on the right which Wilson curled over to the far post. The clearing header came out to WHYTE who drilled a low shot inside the right post to make it 2-1.

The Bot saw the remaining time out to claim the win. Next up Talbot are back in midweek action when they host Irvine Meadow on Wednesday night.

Auchinleck Talbot – Muir, Thomson, Schoneville, Hanlon, McPherson, Langan, Scullion, Gillies, Trialist 9, Trialist 17, Trialist 11

Subs – Trialist, Nimmo, Wardrope, Kerr, Brown (gk)

Kilbirnie Ladeside – McGowan, Tennent, Wilson, Isherwood, Whyte, Cooper, Connelly, Walker, McCloy, Trialist, Trialist

Subs –  Trialist, Boyd, McMenemy, Bamford, Trialist