Report

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

With a few wobbles en route Talbot got back to winning ways with an entertaining 3-1 win over the Buffs at Beechwood.

Talbot made a nervy start and gifted the visitors a chance in the 2^nd minute when Kavanagh pounced on a slack pass to race into the left of the penalty area but McPherson recovered to clear the danger.

Kilwinning had the night’s 1^st effort at goal after 9 minutes. McColm found himself in space 20 yards out but his left foot shot bobbled comfortably wide of the right post.

Twelve minutes in and Talbot missed a great chance to take the lead. A slick passing move saw the ball shuttled quickly into the final third and ended with Smith teeing it up for Samson but he fired wide of the right post from a good position.

In the 18^th minute the Buffs won a corner down the left. It was delivered to the back post and the Bot defence were unable to clear. It came to M Millar on the right of the box who fired it low & hard back across goal where it was cleared.

Down the other end Talbot had a half chance when Armstrong’s cross was only cleared as far as Boyle who drilled it first time past the right post from the edge of the area.

The Bot had a let off in the 21^st minute. A ball over the top saw McColm get in behind McPherson and race into the area. He fired it across goal where Stafford deflected it against the post whilst trying to clear. The rebound came out to Lewis but he contrived to balloon it over the bar from 8 yards out with the goal gaping.

In the 24^th minute Talbot won a free kick out wide left – midway inside the Buffs half for a foul on Taylor. It was taken quickly and shoved to Taylor who hurtled into the box where he went flying as he burst between 2 defenders. Talbot appealed for the penalty but the referee wasn’t interested.

Talbot came within a whisker of taking the lead in the 26^th minute. Taylor’s precise crossfield ball picked out Wardrope in space down the right. He whipped over a tremendous first time cross that only needed a touch but Samson was inches from connecting in front of goal.

A minute later Kilwinning missed a golden chance to take the lead. M Millar got away down the right and played it low across the face of goal where McColm bundled it wide of the right post when it looked easier to hit the target.

It was end to end stuff and moments later Talbot had a decent chance at the other end. Leishman’s long ball sailed over the defence allowing Samson to run in behind through on goal but his attempted lob was plucked out the air by the keeper.

In the 29^th minute Talbot had a period of concerted pressure when Taylor won a corner down the left. Wardrope whipped it into the near post where it came off a Buffs defender and went just wide of the right post. Wardrope’s 2^nd corner was hit deeper and Graham Wilson got his head on it but his header was deflected over the bar off a defender resulting in a 3^rd consecutive corner. When this one came in McCracken met it but couldn’t keep his header down.

An outstanding save from McInnes kept the scores level in the 32^nd minute. Samson gathered on the left and spotted Wardrope in space to his right. He met it perfectly and angled a low drive for the bottom corner that McInnes tipped round his right hand post.

When the corner came over McInnes made a hash of claiming it and the ball broke loose but Talbot failed to capitalise.

Kilwinning had another good chance in the 37^th minute. The ball broke off a Talbot defender and came through to McColm 12 yards out but he was stretching as he hit it and sent his volley over the bar.

Despite all the chances at both ends it looked like the first half was going to end goalless until Talbot nabbed the lead a minute from the break. ROSS TAYLOR cut inside off the right and steered a low left foot shot inside the near post to send Talbot in a goal ahead at the interval.

Talbot started the 2^nd half positively and had a couple of half chances early on. In the 48^th minute Stafford won a corner on the right which Wardrope sent into the centre where McCracken side-footed it on target but straight at the keeper. In the 51^st minute Armstrong found Taylor wide on the left and his cross into the back post was only headed out as far as Wardrope whose half-volley was deflected wide of target.

It was all level in the 54^th minute. Kavanagh turned Stafford out on the touchline and whipped over a good cross that LEWIS met in the centre to head high inside the right post to make it 1-1.

Teams are often at their most vulnerable just after they score and so it proved again as Talbot regained the lead within 2 minutes. Wardrope’s cross from the right touchline was met by KIER SAMSON at the far post where he out-jumped his marker to guide a header inside the post.

The game was still in the balance and Talbot had a let off in the 58^th minute when Kavanagh sent a low ball in from the left that ran across the face of goal before Graham Wilson cleared.

In the 59^th minute the visitors picked up a yellow card for a late challenge on Boyle.

The Buffs came close to levelling in the 63^rd minute. Lamont did well down the right and when he cut it back into the area McColm ran onto it and fired just wide of the right post.

With 20 mins remaining Leishman was called into action when he dived low to his left to turn away a shot from just outside the penalty area – resulting in a corner for the Buffs.

From the corner Talbot sprang onto the counter-attack and ROSS SMITH sped into the Buffs penalty area and tucked a low shot inside the right post to give Talbot a two goal cushion.

With 12 minutes remaining Talbot made a triple change with Samson, Smith & Wardrope making way for Mason, Lennox & Aidan Wilson.

A minute later Boyle picked up a yellow card for a late challenge.

Talbot managed the game well in the closing stages with the Buffs only effort being a long ranger wide of target. Three minutes from time Talbot made one final change with Ballantyne replacing Graham Wilson.

A good win for Talbot who now move onto Wednesday night’s re-arranged fixture against the Glens at New Cumnock.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, Taylor, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Boyle, Wardrope, Samson, Smith, Graham Wilson

Subs – Boylan, Mason, Lennox, Aidan Wilson, Crawford, Ballantyne, Sinnamon

Kilwinning Rangers – McInnes, Loudon, Wood, MacCalman, Torrance, Marshall,  M Millar, Lewis, McColm, Lamont, Kavanagh

Subs – MacIntyre, El- Zubaidi, Collins, C Millar, Stuart, Hale, Henderson