The home support must have sloped off home in disbelief after witnessing Talbot dismantle Beith at Bellsdale Park in a match where the Bot looked set to hit double figures at one point.

Despite the shellacking to come, the home side made a bright start and took an early lead in the 4th minute. Osemeke paced away on the left and cut it back across the penalty area where it found BROWN in space and he gave Armour no chance as he placed it high inside the left hand post. Talbot had started a bit lackadaisically and could have found themselves two behind after 8 mins. Monk spread it right to find Monti free inside the area and he fired it straight at Armour who parried it away. It came out to O’Donnell who shoved it left to Osemeke and he stabbed a shot on target that Armour had to turn round the post.

Having survived this scare Talbot equalised in the 10th minute. Kerr floated a cross into the box which was headed out into the path of Langan. He controlled it and raced into the area where he could have shot himself but instead slipped it to his right where CONNOR BOYD drilled it home to make it 1-1. With 16 mins gone Talbot took the lead. Boyd gathered out on the left and cut onto his right foot before swerving over a dangerous cross. Langan went for it in the centre, taking a knock in the process, as it was headed out straight into the path of KYLE MCAVOY who met it on the half-volley sending it low inside the right post.

In the 19th minute Talbot extended their lead. Sime raced down the centre before releasing it to his left to find CONNOR BOYD and he couldn’t have hit it much better – curling a delightful effort over Stott and into the far corner. Beith were falling apart and 2 mins later Sime again cut through the middle. He sent it wide left to find Kerr who whipped over a good cross to the back post but there was no one there to turn it home.

 In the 23rd minute Boyd won a corner down the left. When Langan delivered it into the goal mouth Stott unconvincingly flapped it away and it came out to NEIL MCPHERSON who scuffed his shot into the ground but it spun up and dropped under the crossbar to put Talbot 4-1 ahead with the game effectively over.

Talbot were still looking for more and put together a slick passing move that ended with Boyd slotting a pass through to find McAvoy on the right of the area but his powerful drive was parried away by Stott. Beith had a half chance to reduce the deficit on the half hour mark. Monti slung over a good cross from the left which Wilson headed away. It came out to Osemeke who met it on the half-volley but fired over the bar. A minute later Talbot turned defence into attack when McPherson out-muscled Osemeke as he looked to break down the left. He chipped it up the wing to find McAvoy who brushed off Little’s challenge and raced into the area where he teed it back to Langan whose drive for goal hit a defender and went behind for a corner. When Mitchell’s corner came over from the right KYLE MCAVOY met it in the centre to glance it home for Talbot’s 5th.

Beith had a chance to grab a consolation in the 37th minute when Brown fired over a good cross from the right that landed at the feet of Dunne on the left of the area but he fired his shot across goal and wide of the far post. A minute later Talbot nabbed their 6th. A ball down the left found KYLE MCAVOY in behind the defence and he coolly lobbed it over Stott to extend Talbot’s lead. Five mins from the break a shy from the left found McAvoy inside the area. He managed to turn Rough but the defender recovered to block his shot behind for a corner. Langan delivered it to the back post where it only needed a touch but no one had read it. In the 42nd minute Clark won the ball deep in the Beith half and helped it on to McAvoy whose low drive on target was smothered by Stott.

The one-way traffic continued and with a minute of the half remaining Talbot had a great chance to add to their lead. Brown fouled McAvoy out on the left and Kerr caught the static defence out with a quickly taken free kick that found Boyd running in behind the defence but his shot slipped wide of the left post and Talbot went in 6-1 ahead at the break.

Both sides made a change at the interval with Slooves on for Clark for Talbot and Lewis replacing Rough for the home side.

Just as they had at kick off Beith made a quick start to the 2nd half.  With a minute gone Monk found Monti just inside the left edge of the penalty area and he fizzed a shot across the face of goal and wide of the far post. Shortly after O’Donnell saw his shot from the right side of the area deflected past for a corner. The Bot’s first attack of the 2nd period saw Mitchell find McAvoy who raced forward on the left. He squared it across to Boyle 20 yards out who fired it well over. Beith’s defence had been weak as a kitten all afternoon and they were found wanting again in the 53rd minute. Boyle clipped it down the right to find Langan down by the right corner flag. He managed to cut inside past Scullion before drilling it low across the face of goal where KENZIE MITCHELL met it to grab Talbot’s 7th from close range.

A minute later down the other end Osemeke did well as he carried it into the Talbot box. When he was halted it broke back to O’Donnell whose low drive was heading in but was well saved by Armour low to his left. In the 57th minute Beith made another change with Stuart on for Monk but the sub didn’t even have a chance to touch the ball before Talbot made it 8-1. Kerr floated it up the left where McAvoy head flicked it on to find CONNOR BOYD inside the area and he slotted a low right foot shot inside the right post to complete his hat-trick and Beith’s misery.

Talbot now made a double change with McAvoy & Mitchell making way for Nimmo & Thomson.

In the 62nd minute Beith managed to grab a consolation effort. Brown stretched to reach a ball down the right and managed to cut it back in from the bye line to find STUART who side-footed it home to make it 8-2. Talbot now made another double change with Wardrope & Gillies on for Sime & Langan.

The Bot had a chance to grab another in the 65th minute. Thomson caught the defence dawdling and managed to block a clearance. It spun right to find Boyd in space inside the area. He pulled his shot across the face of goal where Nimmo nearly managed to prod it home.

Having used all their subs Talbot had to play the last 20 minutes a man short when Slooves picked up a knock and had to hobble off with McPherson moving into the centre and Thomson going to right-back. With 12 mins remaining Osemeke hit the target with a low drive from an acute angle which Armour saved with his feet at his right post at the expense of a corner.

The Bot keeper was called into action again with 10 mins remaining when Scullion’s long range effort looked to be dipping under the bar with Armour tipping it over. The home side had a good chance to pull one back in the 83rd minute. Scullion clipped a ball over the top to find Osemeke inside the area. He squared it across to Frize who blasted it well over the bar. Five minutes from time Beith were forced into a late change when Osemeke limped off to be replaced by McClymont. Ten man Talbot saw out the closing stages and with the score as it was the ref decided to call a halt to proceedings without any time added.

A great away display by Talbot who were clinical in front of goal.

Next up for Talbot it’s back on the road as they travel through to Hannah Park to face Shotts Bon Accord in midweek.

Beith Juniors – Stott, Brown, Scullion, Little, Rough, Dunne, Monti, Frize, Osemeke, O’Donnell, Monk

Subs – Lewis, Stuart, McClymont, McLellan (gk)

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Clark, Kerr, Wilson, McPherson, Sime, Boyle, Langan, Boyd, McAvoy, Mitchell

Subs – Nimmo, Thomson, Gillies, Wardrope, Schoneville, Slooves, Hanlon