SPONSORED BY: Greg Whisker. Jim McCluckie
POSITION: Defender/Midfield
JOINED TALBOT: July 2023
D.O.B: 07/03/1995
TALBOT DEBUT: 29/07/2023 v Pollok WOSL Premier Division. Lost 1-0
FIRST COMPETITIVE GOAL: v Troon. 9th December 2023, Home Indigo Comms West of Scotland Cup. Won 4-1
FORMER CLUBS: Ayr United U20’s, Tindastoll (Iceland), Njardvik (Iceland), Irvine Meadow
SPONSORED BY: Colin Mitchell. James Latta Plumbing.
POSITION: Striker
JOINED TALBOT: July 2023
D.O.B: 28/05/1997
TALBOT DEBUT: 29/07/2023 v Pollok WOSL Premier Division. Lost 1-0
FIRST COMPETITIVE GOAL: v Wigtown & Bladnoch, Scottish Cup Preliminary Round 2, 02/09/2023, won 12-0
FORMER CLUBS: Hurlford Thistle AFC, Irvine Meadow
MURRAYS REPORT
Talbot edged past Kilwinning on penalties to book a place in the West of Scotland final after a drab semi-final encounter at Beechwood.
The first chance of the afternoon went to the visitors in the 4th minute. Lamont squared the ball inside to Stuart who swerved a shot wide of the left post from 20 yards.
Talbot’s first chance came after 10 mins. Wardrope slid a pass through to find Smith in behind the defence. He opted to hit it early but drilled his shot straight at Henderson.
With quarter of an hour gone Boland had his name taken for a late challenge on Graham Wilson.
In the 17th minute Talbot won a corner out on the left. Wardrope put over a good delivery but McCracken just failed to connect in the centre.
The Bot won a free kick in a good area in the 19th minute. Taylor cut in from the right and was tripped by Torrace just as he was set to hit it – resulting in a booking for Buffs centre-half and a Bot free kick 20 yards out. Wardrope shaped to hit it but instead slid it down the right to find Samson who drilled it across goal where Smith met it but fired over the bar from 6 yards.
The next noteworthy incident came in the 33rd minute. Smith held it up well on the left before making for the byline and swinging over a good cross that Samson met in the air but couldn’t direct goal ward.
Talbot were forced into an early change after 35 mins when McCracken limped off to be replaced by Ballantyne.
In the 38th minute Talbot put together a well-worked move. Graham Wilson back-heeled it into the path of Aiden Wilson who switched play to the right to find Wardrope. He found Taylor breaking down the right of the penalty area but his attempted ball across goal was easily cut out.
Kilwinning ended the half the stronger and had two half chances in the closing stages. Lamont cushioned a header down into the path of McColm but his shot lacked the power to test Leishman and then deep in injury time a free kick from the right found Maccalman at the back post but it came off the top of his head and floated over and so the 1st half drew to a close with neither keeper being required to make a save of any note.
Talbot had a chance shortly after the break when Graham Wilson found Samson inside the area and he laid it back to Smith 15 yards out but his shot didn’t trouble Henderson.
The visitors made a change in the 52nd minute when MacIntyre left the field injured to be replaced by Wood.
In the 58th minute Samson squared it in from the right and as Smith went to run onto it he was sent tumbling by Torrance. The ref pointed to the spot, booked the Buffs defender and GRAHAM WILSON made no mistake from 12 yards – thumping a shot inside the right post to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.
Kilwinning now made a further change with McInally on for Kavanagh.
The Buffs nearly levelled in the 64th minute. A good pass down the left found Lamont in space inside the area and Leishman did well to save his low angled drive with his outstretched leg.
Two minutes later and it was all square. Kilwinning won a free kick midway inside the Bot half when Park handled it and Taylor then received a caution for kicking the ball away. When the free kick was flighted over from the left Leishman came for it but was never getting there and WOOD was able to guide a header into the empty net from beyond the back post.
Talbot were caught out again a few minutes later when Lewis was found in space down the right. He whipped in a dangerous cross which McPherson managed to head clear.
With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot made a triple change with Graham Wilson, Wardrope & Smith making way for Lennox, Boylan & Mason.
Three minutes from time Talbot had a late chance to win it. Lennox gathered on the left and fed it back to Wilson whose cross into the centre wasn’t dealt with. It broke to Mason who fired a low left foot shot back across goal that Henderson managed to block with his leg.
As the game moved into added time the Buffs made another change with Collins replacing Bolland.
Deep into added time Kilwinning won a corner down the right. When it came into the near post it skipped up off the turf and looked to hit Boylan’s arm but the referee dismissed the Buffs appeals and blew for full-time.
The penalties were taken down at the Beechwood Road end and it was the Buffs up first. Collins was first up and it was advantage Talbot as Leishman leapt to his right to keep it out.
Mason took Talbot’s first spot kick and gave the keeper no chance as he placed it low inside the left post.
Kilwinning’s hopes faded when their 2nd spot kick was again saved by Leishman to his right but Talbot failed to press home their advantage when Boylan tried to place his low to the keeper’s right and Henderson guessed correctly to keep it out.
McColm took the Buffs 3rd penalty and was the first Buffs player to score, but only just as Leishman again went the right way and got his fingers to it but couldn’t keep it out.
Lennox stepped up for Talbot’s 3rd and restored the Bot’s lead when he coolly sent the keeper the wrong way.
Kilwinning scored their 4th spot kick to make it 2-2 with Leishman once again nearly saving it low to his left before Taylor slotted home to put Talbot 3-2 up.
It was now sudden death with the Buffs needing to score their final penalty but again Leishman came out on top – blocking the penalty that was thumped down the centre and Talbot were through 3-2.
A very flat game with the only real positives being the balmy weather and the end result. Next up for Talbot it’s a Monday night encounter at Beechwood with table toppers Beith.
Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Taylor, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Park, Wardrope, Samson, Smith, Graham Wilson
Subs – Mason, Boylan, Lennox, Crawford, Ballantyne, Sinnamon, Fisher
Kilwinning Rangers – Henderson, Boland, Kavanagh, Maccalman, Torrance, Marshall, MacIntyre, Lewis, McColm, Lamont, Stuart
Subs – O’Brien, McLean, McAlpine, McInally, Wood, Collins, Porter
Talbot v Kilwinning Rangers – Man Of The Match Awards
Andy Leishman lifted all five sponsors’ Man of the Match awards. Big Andy saved three of the five penalties in the penalty shoot out to send us through to meet Clydebank in the West of Scotland Cup Final.
Old Crocks – presented by Max Kuberski.
Killie Travel Club – presented by Allan Paterson.
Mauchline BC – presented by Liz Milgrew.
Loons Supporters Club – presented by Lex O’Hara
Mr & Mrs Jim Dunsmore & Friends – presented by Avril Dunsmore.
Match Ball Sponsor – Emerald Contracts.
Morton Wright (Jun) presented Avril Dunsmore with a bouquet of flowers of behalf of the club and we extend best wishes to Jim and Avril following their recent marriage.
Talbot welcomed their first ever visitors from the town of Airdrie to Beechwood Park and after a tough ninety minutes played in driving rain they did what was expected of them by running out 3-1 winners against a side who sit a division below them. Granted Gartcairn are no mugs as they are pushing for promotion for the top division and had just knocked Lowland League side Tranent out of the Challenge Cup. Talbot had made a couple of changes for this match with Keiran Healy replacing Neil McPherson, Ally Park in for the cup-tied Ali Boyle and a start for young Aaron Mason up front.
The visitors threw down the gauntlet early doors and in the opening minutes former Motherwell and Ross County player Darren Smith made a telling run down the left but his cross into the box was easily cleared. Five minutes later goalkeeper Cowie got lucky when a routine passback from Moss saw him harassed by Mason into kicking the ball straight at Graham Wilson who elected to pass to Mason rather than try a cheeky lob which most of the crowd were expecting.
In the 16th minute Mick Wardrope did well to clear a Gartcairn free kick but Eley was quickest to react by whipping the ball back into the box where Stafford mishit the ball into the feet of Johnstone who managed to get the ball on target but it proved to be an easy save for Fisher. The game got bogged down in the middle of the park with both sides producing some great defending which no doubt proved to be a bit too frustrating for former Hearts youth player Jordan Love who collected the only yellow card of the game when he was late with a tackle on Craig McCracken. McCracken then nearly got himself onto the score sheet in 30 minutes when he got his head to a Wardrope corner forcing Cowie into parrying the ball off the goal line where McCracken managed to react the quickest but hooked the loose ball into the side net. Shortly after Love and McCracken clashed again with the Talbot defender on the deck holding his face but the veteran striker was spared a second yellow by referee Paul Timmons.
With the game heading for the interval Johnstone ghosted through Talbot midfield where his pass to Moss saw the big defender cross a poor ball into the danger area which came off Staffords head and into the path of Johnstone who’s first time volley from the edge of the box took the paint off the top of Fisher’s crossbar. Talbot were quick to reply and an Aiden Wilson long ball up the wing was headed into the path of Park by G.Wilson and his toe poke to Wardrope produced a side foot shot that came off the crossbar and onto the path of G.Wilson who headed tamely into the hands of Cowie.
With the visitors buoyed by their opening forty five minutes they opened the second half by flinging all kinds of long balls into the box which were putting a bit of pressure on the Talbot back line. However a long throw-in by Smith was headed away by McCracken which was pounced upon by Griffiths who was quickly tracked down by Park. Finding himself in a bit of bother he elected to pass backwards but accidentally passed the ball into the path of Mason who skipped away from Moss to thunder the ball past Cowie from 20 yards right on the 50th minute. All credit to Gartcairn who looked to have equalised when Smith got himself behind the Talbot back line but Fisher got his body in front of Smith’s shot but the referee had already whistled for offside.
There was a flurry of substitutions by both sides as the game progressed and the changes were quick to take effect when on 70 minutes Ross Smith was the target of a Ballantyne throw-in. The youngster managed to get the ball to the foot of Wardrope who dinked a cross onto the head of Park and his slight touch eased the ball past Cowie’s finger tips and into the top of the net. If Talbot thought the game was over then they were sadly mistaken when minutes later Gartcairn were back in the game when a Talbot attack was broken up as Bulgor launched a 49 yard pass into the path of the unmarked Smith who in turn found substitute Burns and the former Stirling Albion striker made no mistake sending the ball past Fisher.
This was the last we were to see the visitors as an attacking force as Talbot started to control the match with Mick Wardrop curling an effort past the post while Ross Smith collected a Samson pass in the box and although he managed to get away from his marker he shot well past the goals. With the 90 minutes fast approaching Talbot’s best move of the game merited their third goal when the ball was worked from wing to wing involving Smith, Lennox and Armstrong ending in a Wardrobe cross being headed into the net by Ross Smith. Soon after the referee’s whistle ended the match that on the whole Talbot deserved to win.
Fisher, Stafford, A.Willson (Ballantyne), Healy, McCracken, Armstrong, Taylor (Lennox), Wardrope, Mason (Samson), G,Wilson (Smith), Park (Sinnamon)
SPONSOR MAN OF THE MATCH AWARDS:
The Boo Boys award went to Craig McCracken and was presented by Bob Harvey
Old Crocks MOM was Craig McCracken and presented by Kieran Houston.
Eddie Smith & Friends picked Michael Wardrope as their MOM and Andy Leishman picked this up on Michael’s behalf from Alistair Smith & Tristen Stirling
Loons Supporters Club MOM was Michael Wardrope and was picked up by Kieran Healy and presented by Alex Tanner
Jimmy Ferguson & Friends chose Gareth Armstrong as their MOM and this was presented by Aaron Lindsay
The Mauchline BC award was presented by Billy Eaglesham and won by Craig McCracken.
Match Ball Sponsor – Emerald Contracts.
MATCH REPORT JIM McAULEY. PHOTO’S SARA JANE HOY>
Talbot had made several changes to the side that had drawn with Rob Roy the week previous with new keeper Marc Fisher replacing the injured
Andy Leishman while Aiden Wilson returned to the defence, Keiran Healy found himself on the left of midfield while the home support were introduced to young Ross Smith’s first start. The visitors were unchanged from the side that had gained a point at Darvel.
The game had all the hallmarks of a riveting cup match with it being a derby and the fact that the Glen’s were on the crest of a wave after reaching the Junior Cup semi final, but in reality it turned out to be a 90 minute endurance test where a penalty shoot-out was the correct way to find a winner.
Talbot started on the front foot when Taylor broke down the right wing and his pass to Wardrope was swept towards Samson but Currie managed to get a toe to the ball at the expense of a corner. Wardrope provided a quality ball from the corner which was headed clear by Rowe but it was picked up by Stafford who found Healy whose side footed cross into the box was headed towards goal but Markey managed to push the ball away with both hands in a save made for the camera’s.
On the 11th minute the supporters in front of the pie hut erupted when Taylor squirmed his way into the box where he looked to be barged to the ground by Murphy but referee Gary Hanvey waved play on and the loose ball was hooked away by Moffat. Talbot were getting plenty of joy down the right side and this time McCracken hooked a teasing ball into the Glens box where Samson got his head to the ball but it flew well past the post.
Route one nearly undid the visitors when Fisher put his laces through a passback which Samson managed to nod the ball into the path of Smith but Currie managed to get a leg in front of Smith’s resultant shot on goals. On the 25th minute Taylor treated the fans to a bit of magic when he left three Glens players in his wake, picked out Samson whose first time cross looked promising but Moffat headed out the danger area but the loose ball fell to Wardrope who dragged his shot well past the target.
The visitors had hardly been in the game but on the 30th minute Caldwell fashioned a one-two with Moffat but he was stopped in his tracks by McCracken, and moments later they should have been in the lead when O’Kane slid a great through ball to an unmarked Caldwell who in turn picked out Kerr who had all the time in the world to score but his shot was blocked by the legs of Fisher and the ball flew over the bar for a corner
With the match heading for the interval Ross Smith was unlucky not to score when Wardrope found him loitering outside the visitors box and the youngster showed his skills when he turned Rowe only to see his shot palmed over the bar by Markey. However it was the visitors who were to have the last say in the first half when a long speculative cross was headed into the path of O’Kane but his shot was blocked by McPherson.
The second half started with O’Kane and Kerr being replaced by Kemp and S.McKenzie for the visitors no doubt to put some zing into the Glens attack but for the opening part of the half it was Talbot who were doing the pressing although rarely troubling the visitors goalkeeper with McCracken heading a Wardrope free kick tamely past, while Healy rattled a shot well over the bar. On the 65th minute Shankland and new signing Sinnamon were introduced to the fray at the expense of Smith and Healy and soon after Mason replaced Wardrope. Shankland soon had a chance to make a name for himself when a mistake by the impressive Pettigrew let Samson drive into the box where his cut back was launched over the bar by the substitute.
Talbot’s last change came in the way of Boylan on for Taylor as they tried to grab that all important winner, but as the clock ran down it was Glenafton who seemed to go for the jugular after Moffat should have done better when he smashed a loose ball well over the bar, while substitute McMullen’s netbound 30 yard screamer took a swerve near the end of its trajectory and flew harmlessly past the post.
The game moved on to penalties with referee Mr Hanvidge selecting the Bank End for the shoot out where Talbot had the luxury of missing two penalties as the Glens found keeper Marc Fisher in great form where he saved three out of the four spot kicks that were taken against him. It was a decent win considering Talbot move into the next round of the competition, but on the downside the team has went 180 minutes without hitting the back of the net.
GLENAFTON: Markey, Caldwell, Pettigrew, McKee, Paton, Kerr, Murphy, Moffat, O’Kane, Currie Rowe. Subs. S. McKenzie, C. McKenzie, McMullen, Nisbet, McFadzean, Kemp. TALBOT: Fisher, Stafford, A.Wilson, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Taylor, Wardrope, Samson, Smith,Healy. SUBS: Shankland. Boylan, Mason, Sinnoman, Crawford, Ballantyne, Fairbairn.
Talbot v Glenafton Man Of The Match Awards
Also thanks to Brian Paterson (Emerald Contracts) our match ball sponsor.
Top Left. Anchor Bar – Lee Bealing presenting to Marc Fisher , Top Right. Cassels Family – Tommy Cassels presenting to Marc Fisher Middle Left. Dennis Gray & Friends – Lynda Walker daughter of Dennis Gray. Linda at one point assisted in our catering unit. Middle Right. In Da Hut Fitness – Stafford who accepted the award on behalf of Mark Shankland . Bottom Left. Loons – Andrew McPheators presenting to Marc Fisher. Bottom Right. Mauchline BC – Aaron Lindsay & Janice Logan presenting to Marc Fisher . Very Bottom. Sandra White presenting to Marc Fisher
