Report

It was a much changed Talbot side that faced Kilwinning at a wet and dismall Beechwood Park. This league match was a dead rubber to the Bot while the Buffs had to get something out the game to secure their play-off position.

Two amateur players Michael McConnell and Alan Paterson made the line up while it was the first start of the season for keeper Brian Hewitt. Talbot started strongly and as early as the 6^th minute Stevenson lashed a shot at goal which struck a defender and spun out for a corner. Four minutes later Shankland tried his luck at a free kick which he curled over the wall and went agonizingly past the post.

Talbot’s best chance came in the 26^th minute when McConnell was fouled outside the six yard box and although Shankland looked to over hit the free kick Hyslop managed to head the ball across the goal line but there was no takers.

The opening goal came in the 37^th minute when a ball down the wing looked to be safely headING for McCracken but the conditions underfoot saw him slip which Kilwinning took full advantage off wheN Monan was picked out and he controlled the ball on the side of his foot and curled a shot over the advancing Hewitt which hit the underside of the bar and into the net.

Talbot replaced  White with Thompson at the start of the second half  and made further changes with McGoldrick coming on for Hyslop, while Milliken replaced Patterson. They changes didn’t help Talbot in anyway as Kilwinning doubled their lead in the 75^th minute when a break down the left saw  Hanvey being left with all the time in the world to pass the ball into the corner of Hewitt’s net.

A poor performance but good to see Hyslop on the pitch for an hour while Shankland picks up more game time.

TALBOT: Hewitt, Harvey, McCracken, McPherson, Whyte, White, Stevenson, Hyslop, O’Connell, Shankland, Paterson: SUBS: Pooler, Milliken, S.Wilson, Thomson, McGoldrick.