Report

TALBOT SIGN OUT WITH A NEWLANDSFIELD TREBLE

Report: Murray Steele, Photo’s: Craig McGhee, Media: Lee Newlands.

The final game of the season turned into a stroll in the sunshine as Talbot beat a toothless Lok side 3-0 at Newlandsfield.

Talbot got off to a flyer and threatened to take the lead within the opening minute. A deep cross from the right was met by Gillies whose volley back across was turned behind by Truesdale at his right post. When the corner came over Pollok failed to clear their lines and after several efforts at goal were blocked it broke back to Sime who sent a half-volley just over the bar.

In the 9^th minute McPherson lobbed a ball over the defence. There shouldn’t have been any danger but indecisive defending almost allowed Gillies to get on the end of it but he was just crowded out and it ran through to Truesdale.Pollok’s first attack came a minute later. O’Kane got to the bye line down the left and hoisted an up & under cross into the centre. Armour fumbled it and it came out to Lapsley 12 yards out but he took a fresh air swipe at it.

Action then switched to the other end where Boyd fired a low drive on target that Truesdale pushed out wide left. It was retrieved by Mitchell who tried to back heel it into the path of Sime but it didn’t come off.In the 16^th minute a Lok shy from the left was headed clear of the box. It came out to Faulds who drilled a good shot on target which Armour turned round his right hand post. When the subsequent corner came over O’Kane got his head to it but sent it well over.

The Bot had a chance to take the lead after 25 mins. Gillies might have gone for goal himself from 19 yards but instead shoved it wide left to release Boyd into the area but his shot flew wide of target. Three mins later though Talbot did make the breakthrough. Nimmo showed quick feet to jink past a couple of tackles down the right of the penalty area before unselfishly passing it across for CONNOR BOYD to turn home from close range.

Shortly after Talbot were gifted a corner when Forrester was too heavy with a back pass and Truesdale was unable to prevent it going behind. When the corner came over Truesdale made a good take on his goal line. With half an hour gone Talbot burst through the centre through Langan before he released it left to find Nimmo. He raced toward the area but was thwarted by a perfectly timed tackle by Forrester. Two minutes later Pollok had an effort on target. A ball from the left was cleared out and broke to Faulds whose effort from 22 yards was turned round the right post by Armour.

In the 34^th minute McPherson’s disguised pass released Kerr down the left. He swung over a good cross which Gow had to head behind for the corner. When the corner came in Truesdale did well to tip it away. It came out to Langan on the left of the area who tried to head it back across goal but couldn’t find a Talbot shirt. Pollok’s next attack saw them win a free kick out on the left touchline. It was lifted into the area where McPherson headed it behind. When the corner came into the near post Faulds got on it but sent a free header over the bar.

The home side had a half chance in the 39^th minute. Tran played it into Duncan on the left of the penalty area. He had men over in the middle but went for goal from a tight angle and sent it well wide of the right post. Down the other end Nimmo raced forward before sliding it wide right to find Mitchell. He swung over a good cross which just saw Boyd beaten to it in the air by Forrester. The half ended with Talbot in the ascendancy forcing 3 corners in quick succession but Pollok withstood the pressure and the sides went off with Talbot a goal to the good at half-time.

Talbot almost made the perfect start to the 2^nd half when they came close to doubling their lead after 47 mins. Kerr chipped the ball over the defence to find Boyd running in behind. He got there before Truesdale and lobbed it over the keeper but it floated just over the bar. Pollok now made a change with Gaffney on for Faulds.

The Lok now had their best spell as they pushed Talbot back but without really ever threatening to score. For all their territorial advantage all they really had to show for it was a corner in the 54^th minute which Gow met and headed back across the area. It came to O’Kane on the left and he whipped a dangerous cross to the far post which Kerr headed clear under pressure.

It was game over in the 64^th minute when Talbot grabbed their 2^nd. Gillies played Mitchell in behind down the left and when his cross came over Sime laid it back into the path of ROSS CLARK who drilled it low past Truesdale to make it 2-0. With 20 mins remaining Talbot made a triple change with Gillies, Nimmo & Boyd making way for McAvoy, Schoneville & Darnbrough. A minute later a poor clearance from Truesdale came straight out to Langan 25 yards out but he sent his shot well wide of the right hand post. Langan came much closer 2 mins later when he burst through down the right into the penalty area before clipping a shot just over the bar.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot added their 3^rd. Mitchell got on the end of a ball down the left and swept a high ball back across goal. It came to McAvoy with his back to goal and he teed it back to Darnbrough who saw his shot at goal blocked by a defender. It spun out to Clark on the right who was sent tumbling by a clumsy tackle from Duncan. The ref pointed to the spot and KYLE MCAVOY sent Truesdale the wrong way to place it inside the left post.

In the 79^th minute Talbot won a free kick out wide on the left when Schoneville was taken out. Before the free kick could be taken Pollok made a change with Howe on for Tran. Langan too the free kick and curled a great ball over to the back post but no was on hand to turn it home. Talbot now made a change with Hewitt on for Mitchell.

Pollok had a chance at a consolation in the 82^nd minute. They won a corner down the right and when it came it was met by Gow but his header toward goal was cleared in the goal mouth. A minute later Howe had a go from the left of the area – firing a shot across goal that Armour pushed wide before it was finally cleared. The Bot’s next foray forward saw them win a corner down the left. It was pulled back for Schoneville to hit but his low drive was blocked. It came out to Clark who fed it on right to McPherson. He knocked it into the middle where it broke to Hewitt who saw his shot stopped by a defender.

In the 87^th minute Darnbrough swung over a good cross from the right but there were no takers in the centre. The final effort of the afternoon went Lok’s way in the final minute. Lapsely gathered outside the area down the left and cut in on his right foot but his shot swerved over the bar and Talbot held on for the win and the clean sheet.

A good way to end the season and encouraging for next year. Not many would have thought at the turn of the year that Talbot would have featured in 2 cup finals, winning one, and finished up 2^nd in the league.

Pollok – Truesdale, Duncan, Forrester, Gow, O’Donnell, Faulds, Lapsley, Tran, O’Kane, Black, Forde

Subs – Fry, Vata, Maxwell, Howe, Gaffney

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Clark, Kerr, Wilson, McPherson, Sime, Langan, Gillies, Boyd, Mitchell, Nimmo

Subs – McAvoy, Schoneville, Darnbrough, Hewitt, Thomson