Talbot boosted their title challenge with a thumping 9-1 win over a dazed Cambuslang side to narrow the gap on Hurlford.
The first meaningful attack came in the 6th minute when Shankland swept a dangerous cross over from the left but it had too much on it for McIlroy to connect & sailed wide of the left post.
The Bot were gifted a chance to take the lead two minutes later when Kemp was tripped just inside the area. The ref awarded the penalty but a penalty award is no guarantee of a goal for Talbot at the moment & so it proved again, although Stephen Wilson was a little unlucky to see his spot kick clatter the inside of the right hand post then rebound to safety.
Talbot were soon back on the attack & Marriott came to Lang’s rescue in the 12th minute with a vital headed clearance from a Shankland cross.
White offered Talbot’s next goal threat when he surged forward on the right, bursting into the box, but Cousar read it well & was quickly off his line to smother at his feet.
McIlroy had a golden chance to put Talbot ahead on the 14th minute. Stephen Wilson nodded Shankland’s cross into his path to send him clean through on the left but he pulled his shot wide of Cousar’s left post.
Cambuslang had been under siege from the start but they did have an opportunity in the 24th minute. White conceded a free kick 25 yards out for a shirt tug on McLeish & Staunton drilled it well over the bar.
The opener came in the 27th minute. White won the ball out on the left & found Shankland who drilled a superb ball across the face of goal where DWAYNE HYSLOP prodded it home from close range.
Talbot continued to dominate but were caught cold by a well constructed Lang break in the 34th minute that resulted in the equaliser. The visitors moved the ball well, finding Miller free down the right & when he pulled it back across goal, MILLER ran onto it to side-foot it into the bottom corner.
The goal sparked another flurry of Talbot pressure and the Bot nearly regained their lead within 3 minutes. Hyslop rose to get a free header on a Shankland corner but Cousar produced a good stop to deny him.
Talbot’s next corner also saw them test the visiting keeper. This time Shankland’s initial cross came back out to him & his second ball in went deep beyond the back post where Hyslop guided a header back across goal. Harvey met it, back to goal, and fired in an overhead kick that flew straight at Cousar.
For all Talbot’s dominance it was the visitors who had the last word, almost snatching an unlikely lead in 1st half injury time. McPherson was short with a header back & Leishman had to be quick to prevent McEwan pouncing on the loose ball around the penalty spot. Soon after the ref blew up & the sides went in 1-1.
For the 3rd week in succession, Talbot found another couple of gears after the interval. Two minutes into the half and Talbot won their second penalty of the afternoon when Stephen Wilson was taken down by Cousar as he raced down the right side of the penalty area. GORDON POPE took it & gave the keeper no chance, thumping the penalty home to make it 2-1.
It was one-way traffic but a single goal lead is always precarious and Talbot were reminded of it in the 58th minute when Miller hit a decent effort from 30 yards that flew wide of the left post.
Tucker made a double substitution in the 64th minute replacing the front two of Kemp & McIlroy with Samson & Graham Wilson and within two minutes Talbot had extended their lead.
Graham Wilson tried to find Samson on the left of the area & as he raced to meet it CHRISTIE intercepted & scored one of the better own goals you’ll see, tucking it low inside Cousar’s right post to give Talbot a two goal cushion.
Cousar denied Hyslop a further goal twice in as many minutes. Firstly, diving low to his right to tip his 18 yard drive round the post and then producing a great reflex save to block his side-footed effort at his left post when the corner came over.
The relentless pressure was wearing the visitors down & Talbot added a fourth in the 70th minute. Shankland lifted a cross beyond the back post where STEPHEN WILSON ran onto it & fired a low shot home.
This proved to be his last contribution as two minutes later Tucker completed his substitutions bringing on Glasgow for Stephen Wilson. Cambuslang now also made a change with Barrett replacing Davidson.
Cousar made another fine stop in the 73rd minute to deny Talbot a further goal. Graham Wilson fed it out to Shankland on the left & when his low ball came across Samson dummied it allowing Glasgow to run onto it but Cousar somehow deflected his shot from close range over the bar.
The visiting keeper was in fine form & produced a great reflex save to prevent Graham Wilson adding to Talbot’s lead in the 75th minute. Shankland bent a cross in from the left that landed right at Wilson’s feet on the corner of the 6-yard area but his net bound effort was blocked by Cousar’s feet inside his left post.
Cambuslang who’d been run ragged for some time now made a double switch with Staunton & Smith making way for Malord & Djoudi.
It was now time for the beginning of the KEIR SAMSON show & he grabbed the first of his 4 goals in the 78th minute. A ball down the left found him running in behind the defence & he coolly slotted it past the advancing Cousar.
Two minutes later KEIR SAMSON grabbed his 2nd and Talbot’s 6th of the afternoon. Shankland’s cross found Glasgow on the right of the area & he teed it up for Samson to drill a low drive past the keeper.
In the 84th minute, Graham Wilson won the ball down the stand side & raced down the left before firing a low cross into the centre. Samson met it in front of goal but his effort was deflected over the bar off Cousar. When the corner came over Hyslop powered a free header on target that Cousar parried but it fell to GRAHAM WILSON who tapped in the rebound from a yard.
With three minutes remaining Glasgow had Talbot’s next chance. Racing free down the right of the area but his drive was blocked by Cousar.
A minute later and Talbot made it 8. Glasgow played it into the feet of Graham Wilson & he laid it off to KEIR SAMSON who angled a low shot across the keeper.
In the final minute of regulation time Talbot completed the scoring. The Bot fans have been spoiled for choice for contenders for goal of the season with two memorable goals only last week away at Pollok & KEIR SAMSON’s final goal will be added to that list. He had plenty to do when he picked the ball up on the left midway inside the Lang half but a combination of lightning quick pace & good close control saw him waltz right through the defence as though they were cardboard cut-outs before passing the ball beyond Cousar to make it 9-1.
Another impressive win from the Bot that now sees them move within 10 points of Hurlford with 6 games in hand. Next week sees Talbot make the short trip through to Cumnock for what is sure to be a feisty encounter.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, Harvey, White, Hyslop, Shankland, McIlroy, Kemp, Stephen Wilson

Subs – Graham Wilson, Samson, Glasgow, Armstrong, McCracken

Cambuslang Rangers – Cousar, Christie, Easton, Staunton, Marriott, McLeish, Miller, Rouse, Smith, Davidson, McEwan

Subs – Barrett, Malord, Djoudi, Sunstream