SPONSORED BY: Conway Properties Ltd. Dorothy Lawrence.
POSITION: Defender/Midfield
JOINED TALBOT: July 2017
D.O.B: 01/12/1993
TALBOT DEBUT: Glenafton Athletic (Home), 2nd August 2017, Ardagh League Cup 0-1
FIRST COMPETITIVE GOAL: Troon (Away), 12th May 2018, West of Scotland 3rd Round 3-1
FORMER CLUBS: Ayr United Academy, Ayr United (4 appearances) Troon (Loan), Troon.
Talbot got off to a bad start and it was downhill from there as the Bot tamely exited the Scottish, beaten 3-0 by Beith.
The supporters were still making their way into the ground when Talbot fell behind in the 2nd minute. Sheridan played a pass through the centre to find MCGOWAN 25 yards out. He strolled past McCracken & with the defence backing off; he continued into the area & slammed a low drive into the bottom corner.
Talbot’s first attack saw Pope sweep a cross beyond the far post where Hyslop climbed above Docherty to head it across goal but Steven Wilson couldn’t connect with it in the centre.
In the 10th minute Young combined with Milliken out on the right before Milliken cut inside & fired a shot on target that Grindlay clutched inside his left post.
The next goal was going to be crucial, and unfortunately for Talbot it came for Beith who doubled their lead in the 22nd minute. There looked to be no danger when McLaughlin pumped a high ball down the middle; however Lyle made a meal of it, and in attempting to bring the ball under control only succeeded in knocking it straight into the path of CHRISTIE who fired it high past the helpless Leishman.
This goal seemed to knock the fight out of Talbot who huffed & puffed but did little to trouble Beith’s defence.
Talbot had a penalty shout on the half hour mark when Hyslop spun his marker inside the box & looked to be tugged to the ground but the referee wasn’t interested.
Grindlay was having a very quiet afternoon but Steven Wilson did test him in the 37thminute. A shy from the right found him inside the box & he drilled a shot on target that Grindlay had to tip behind.
Beith saw out the rest of the half fairly comfortably to go in 2-0 ahead at the break.
To the surprise of many, there were no changes at the interval with Tucker trusting to the starting 11 to turn things round.
The referee infuriated the Bot support in the 48th minute. McLean fouled Young but the referee gave the foul the other way & then booked Butch for dissent; a decision which was to come back to haunt Talbot later on.
In the 53rd minute Milliken’s pass found Pope on the left and he hammered a shot on target but it went straight at Grindlay.
Any hopes Talbot entertained of staging a comeback were ended by the referee in the 58th minute. Christie beat the offside trap to race clear down the left. He cut the ball back to the edge of the area where Young challenged McGowan. It appeared he’d made a well-timed tackle but the referee awarded Beith a free kick and produced a 2nd yellow card for Young; reducing Talbot to 10 men.
Christie took the free kick & his low drive was blocked behind by McGoldrick. Talbot were then caught napping as Beith took a short corner and when the cross came over MCLAUGHLIN met it to power a free header home from close range.
The game was effectively over & Beith nearly added to their lead in the 64th minute. Lyle gave the ball away to Docherty & he fed it inside to Frize who shot straight at Leishman.
McLean spurned a great chance to make it 4 on the 70th minute. McCracken took a heavy touch & lost the ball just inside his own half, sending McLean clean through on goal. He carried on into the area but pulled his shot well wide of the left post.
Tallbot made a double substitution a minute later with Lyle & Steven Wilson coming off to be replaced by Harvey & Pooler.
With 10 minutes remaining Tucker made his final change with Stevenson on for Graham Wilson.
In the closing stages Harvey picked up a yellow card for simulation when he went down inside the Beith penalty area.
The final whistle couldn’t come quickly enough for the Bot support and this is a game that everyone associated with Talbot will want to expunge from their memory.
It’s back to league duties next week for Talbot as they make the short trip to New Cumnock to face Glenafton.
Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, McCracken, S Wilson, Young, White, G Wilson, Milliken, Hyslop
Subs – Pooler, Stevenson, Harvey, Boyle, Thomson, Shankland, Hewitt (gk)
Beith – Grindlay, MacDonald, Docherty, McLaughlin, Sheridan, Wilson, McGlinchey, Frize, McLean, Christie, McGowan
Subs- Collins, Watt, Burke, McPherson, Fisher, Martin, McBain (gk)
MURRAYS MATCH REPORT
It was honours even as Talbot & Beith shared 4 goals in this Scottish Cup preliminary round tie; leaving both sides to face off again next Saturday at Beechwood.
Talbot were shooting down the slope in the 1st half & it was the Bot who made the early running. The first effort at goal came when Lyle gathered Pope’s cross out on the right touchline. He fed it inside to Millken whose low drive went wide of target.
Milliken did hit the target soon after. He skipped past Sheridan down the left & fired at goal, but the keeper was well positioned & made a comfortable stop.
Talbot were temporarily reduced to 10 men in the 9th minute when Latta fell awkwardly after being fouled by McGlinchey. He went off for treatment on his shoulder but couldn’t continue & in the 12th minute Stevenson came on in his place.
This was a physically bruising encounter with neither side being afforded any time on the ball & more tackles being made than passes played.
McGlinchey came to the home side’s rescue in the 24th minute. Steven Wilson battled well to win the ball out on the right & looked to be fouled just outside the area. The ball broke loose to Stevenson who swept a dangerous low ball across goal that McGlinchey hooked clear inside the 6-yard area.
A minute later Milliken ought to have put Talbot ahead. Wilson sped away from Sheridan down the right before sweeping an early ball across the area. Milliken ran onto it but from 15 yards out he hoisted his shot over Grindlay’s crossbar.
Beith then came close at the other end. Christie managed to get on the end of McGlinchey’s deep cross & succeeded in heading it back for McLean but he fired wide of the right post from a good area.
Hyslop came close for Talbot in the 40th minute. Young squared the ball inside for him & he drilled a low shot just past the right post with Grindlay beaten.
With a minute of normal time remaining McGoldrick was in the right spot to block Wilson’s low strike from just outside the area as it headed goal wards.
Talbot took the lead in the 45th minute. Young sent Milliken free down the left & he returned it into the centre where YOUNG volleyed home to make it 1-0.
It looked like Talbot would head in a goal to the good at the break but Beith had other ideas and they drew level two minutes into injury time. McGoldrick headed a cross clear but it only came out to WILSON who managed to evade the challenge of Young before slotting a low shot inside the right post from 20 yards to make it 1-1.
With the advantage of the slope & the fillip of their late equaliser, Beith came out strongly at the start of the 2nd half and soon had Talbot under pressure.
McLean passed up a decent chance in the 49th minute. He beat offside to break free on the right but hit a tame shot at goal that Leishman easily saved.
Tucker made a switch in the 50th minute with Graham Wilson replacing his brother Steven.
McGlinchey tested Leishman in the 55th minute from 25 yards; drilling a low shot on goal that Leishman held.
Talbot created a half chance in the 58th minute. Wilson ran onto a ball in behind the defence & did well to hook it back across goal. Stevenson ran onto it & climbed above Docherty to get his head on it but his header went wide of the left post.
Sheridan had his name taken in the 61st minute. Wilson laid the ball down for Milliken who was breaking away from Beith’s centre half until wrestled to the ground.
Route one nearly paid off for Beith in the 65th minute. Grindlay’s long ball down the centre skimmed off the top of McGoldrick’s head & McLean raced onto it inside the area. He flicked it over Leishman but lifted it wide of the left post.
Beith took the lead in the 69th minute with a well-worked goal. Docherty started and finished the move; playing it out wide left to find McGowan on the touchline & when he slid it across the area DOCHERTY coolly passed the ball into the net.
Playing against the slope & a goal behind, it was literally an uphill struggle for Talbot & Beith were looking comfortable in their lead.
White had his name taken in the 78th minute for a shove on McLean and two minutes later McLean joined him in the notebook for a foul on Pope.
With time running out Tucker decided to throw caution to the wind, replacing Boyle with Pooler as Talbot went with three up front.
In the 84th minute Milliken raced free of the Beith defence down the right & fired a dangerous ball across goal but there was no support in front of goal to take advantage.
A minute later Talbot won a free kick just outside the Beith penalty area for a foul on Milliken. Young flighted it to the back post where Docherty headed it away but he got no distance on it & it fell for POPE who buried a shot inside the right post to level the score.
The final 5 minutes were nerve wracking for both sets of supporters. Firstly, Beith came close to snatching it when McLaughlin cushioned a header across goal from a corner. It came to Docherty but the ball broke off him & ran through to Leishman.
Down the other end, Milliken had a half chance to snatch a late winner when he burst into the box but he delayed his shot & the chance was lost.
As the game headed into injury time Beith won a couple of set pieces in the Bot half, allowing them to thrown the ball into the area but on both occasions Pope headed the ball away to safety.
Beith is never an easy place to visit, and most Talbot fans would have settled for a replay prior to the match. Now both sides will face off for the third time in a row with Talbot hoping for a similar outcome to the recent Ardagh semi-final at Beechwood.
Beith – Grindlay, MacDonald, Docherty, McLaughlin, Sheridan, Wilson, McGlinchey, Frize, McLean, Christie, McGowan
Subs – Collins, Watt, Burke, McPherson, Fisher, Martin, McBain (gk)
Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, Boyle, Latta, White, Hyslop, S Wilson, Milliken, Young
Subs – Stevenson, Pooler, Harvey, G Wilson, McCracken, Hewitt (gk)
Talbot failed to show up for the 1st half of this cup tie but were a team transformed after the interval & cruised to victory over their South of Scotland league opponents.
It was a case of Talbot flattering to deceive early on as the Bot got off to a short-lived flying start. In the opening couple of minutes Talbot forced a couple of early corners, from the second of which, McGoldrick glanced a header wide of target.
After this initial flurry, the 1st half became a frustrating affair for Talbot with Wigtown content to sit deep & look to break, and Talbot struggling to get through them.
In the 17th minute Young & Dunn had their names taken after a confrontation in the centre of the pitch.
In a half devoid of clear chances, Talbot’s main threat came from set pieces. Boyle got his head onto the end of Shankland’s free kick in the 28th minute but placed his header wide of the right post.
Talbot’s best chance of the half came in the 32nd minute courtesy of a quickly taken free kick. Young hit it in behind the Wigtown defence but Wilson took a poor 1st touch & it broke off him through to the keeper.
For the remainder of the half both sides huffed & puffed to no avail & the sides went in at half-time with neither keeper having made a save.
Talbot came out like a team transformed after the interval & as early as the 46th minute carved out a decent chance. Shankland laid the ball off to Wilson & he fired a low shot wide of the right post.
Millliken received a caution in the 53rd minute for a shirt tug on Dougan.
A minute later Young hit the target from 20 yards but his shot went straight at Roddie.
McIntyre then became the 4th name in the ref’s book when he was cautioned for a late tackle on Milliken.
The opening goal came in the 58th minute and what a strike it was. Richardson conceded a free kick 30 yards from goal for a foul on Wilson & SHANKLAND gave the keeper no chance; curling a superb strike over the wall & into the back of the net.
Tucker now made a change with White coming on for Pooler.
Talbot nearly doubled their lead on the hour mark. Milliken gathered out on the left & drilled it low across the goal mouth. The slightest touch would’ve put it in but Wilson just failed to connect at the near post.
It was all Talbot now & it was no surprise when the 2nd goal arrived in the 66th minute. A diagonal ball found Milliken out on the right & he swept a good cross into the centre. Shankland glanced a header on target and although Roddie parried it WILSON followed up to tap in the rebound.
Talbot’s next attack saw White burst forward before releasing Shankland down the left. He lifted a dangerous cross to the far post where Rennie headed behind. Shankland went across to take the corner & whipped it into the near post where Milliken fired over the bar.
Wilson had a chance to grab his 2nd in the 70th minute. He started the move sliding the ball out right to Latta who returned the favour, crossing it into the centre where Wilson headed on target but straight at Roddie.
The game was as good as over a minute later when Talbot moved 3-0 ahead. White burst into the area & fed the ball out to Shankland on the left. He cut inside McIntyre before chipping a shot for the far top corner. He saw his effort come back off the woodwork but Wilson gathered on the right & quickly crossed it back across goal where SHANKLAND headed home from 6 yards out.
With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot tested Roddie again. Shankland’s mazy run into the box ended when he was challenged by Richardson; however the ball broke back into the path of Wilson who drilled a low shot on goal which Roddie blocked.
Wigtown had a chance for a consolation goal in the 76th minute. They won a corner out on the left & the Bot defence were caught sleeping as they took a short one to Miller. He curled a cross over to the far post where Dougan rose unopposed but he lifted his header over the bar.
Tucker now made a double substitution with Young & Shankland making way for Hyslop & Drummond.
It should have been 4 for Talbot in the 81st minute. Latta angled a great cross in from the right touchline & Wilson looked a certainty to head it home but somehow he placed it the wrong side of the left post.
Wilson had another headed chance a minute later. This time the cross came from the opposite wing as Pope whipped the ball into the centre where Wilson glanced a header just wide.
The final goal came in the 83rd minute. Hyslop’s break from midfield was ended when Cluckie tripped him inside the area & the ref pointed to the spot. WILSON took it & confidently dispatched it to claim his 2nd of the afternoon & make it 4-0 to Talbot.
In the closing seconds Talbot had a final chance to add to their tally. Wilson headed Lyle’s ball down to the feet of Milliken, sending him clean through on the right but instead of shooting he tried to square it across the 6-yard box & the chance was lost.
In the end a comfortable enough win for Talbot who face a trip to Beith in the next round.
Next up for Talbot is their 1st home game of the season when they host Cumnock on Monday night.
Referee – Mike Taylor
Wigtown – Roddie, McIntyre, Rennie, Agnew, Richardson, Cluckie, Jones, Dunn, Jamieson, Dougan, Miller
Subs – Robertson, Lowe, Chilton, Rose, Gerrit, Whyte (gk)
Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, Boyle, Latta, Young, S Wilson, Milliken, Shankland, Pooler
Subs – McPherson, White, Drummond, Hyslop, G Wilson, Hewitt (gk)
SPONSORED BY: George Jnr, Richard & Gill Laird. BC Civils Groundworks Ltd.
POSITION: DEFENDER
JOINED TALBOT: JULY 2016
D.O.B: 22/07/1996
TALBOT DEBUT: 6th August 2016 v Muirkirk Juniors.
FIRST COMPETITIVE GOAL: Rossvale (Away), 1st February 2020, WOSL Premier Division.
FORMER CLUBS: Darvel Juniors
SPONSORED BY: Powmillon Projects and Surveying Services. Cathy Jamieson
DEFENDER/MIDFIELDER
JOINED: 2016
D.O.B: 22/04/1996
TALBOT DEBUT: Shettleston (Away), 5th March 2016, League 0-0
FIRST COMPETITIVE GOAL: Hurlford United (Home), 29th October 2016, WJFA Premier League 2-0
FORMER CLUBS: Ayr United U20’s, Auchinleck Talbot (Loan), Ayr United (7 appearances), Auchinleck Talbot, BSC Glasgow (Loan), Auchinleck Talbot.
Match Report by Murray
Talbot’s senior cup adventure ended with a whimper as an out of sorts Bot side fell 2-0 to Cumbernauld Colts at Broadwood stadium.
There was an unfamiliar look to Talbot’s central defence with regulars McGoldrick & Campbell missing with White & Lyle stepping in to fill the breech.
It was the home side who offered the 1st threat when O’Neill burst past Latta and whipped a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Black met it beyond the far post but the ball hit him rather him hitting it and broke behind for a goal kick.
The 1st effort at goal came in the 7th minute. Broadfoot switched play out right to Duncan whose low cross was cleared by Lyle. It came out to Munn 25 yards from goal and he fired a shot well over the bar.
A minute later Talbot wasted a promising opportunity to take the lead. S Wilson beat Kirwan before squaring the ball across the box to Milliken 8 yards out. The shot looked on but he opted to pass it instead and the ball came back out to S Wilson who knocked it to the back post where Young saw his shot deflected behind.
The linesman turned a blind eye to a blatant handball in the 14th minute when Kirwan controlled it on his arm right in front of him but the officials waved play on.
The Bot fans were up in arms again four minutes later when they thought G Wilson had won a free kick just outside the box when sent sprawling by Duncan, only for the referee to book him for simulation & award the free kick to Colts.
Gradually Talbot began to push Colts back but were failing to make any clear cut chances and when one finally did arrive in the 28th minute it was wasted. Boyd slid a good pass out to Latta whose cut back found Milliken in space inside the area but he completely mis-kicked it.
Neither side had looked like scoring, at least until the 33rd minute when Young found S Wilson out on the right edge of the area and his low drive back across goal flew inches wide of the far post.
The referee had his work cut out in a spell of ill-discipline from the home side that saw them pick up 3 bookings in as many minutes. Broadfoot was 1st in the book for a heated reaction after Boyd had conceded a free kick and he was soon joined in the book by Munn and then Ballantyne, both for cynical fouls on G Wilson.
Talbot tested the Colts defence in the 39th minute when Pope played it into the feet of Hyslop on the left of the area. He attempted to drill it across the 6-yard box but his pass was cut out.
The Bot finished the half strongly but tellingly with no end product. In the 41st minute Milliken pulled the ball back into the path of S Wilson but he didn’t catch his shot cleanly and it sailed harmlessly into the arms of George. A few minutes later the same player saw his effort from just inside the box blocked by Kirwan and the sides went in locked at the interval.
The large travelling support were hoping for Talbot to step up a gear in the 2nd half but it was the home side who came out fired up. Two minutes into the half and the Bot defence was stretched when Ballantyne found space on the right & fired a dangerous cross over to the back post where Latta glanced it behind for a corner. Nothing came of the corner as Leishman was fouled when trying to claim it.
His opposite number didn’t cover himself in glory a minute later. Young fed the ball back to Pope who slung a high, hopeful cross into the goal mouth which George flapped at. The ball landed between the keeper & Oliver with neither taking responsibility for clearing it but with no Bot player to take advantage, Oliver recovered to hook the ball clear.
The game was becoming stretched with play moving from end to end and Talbot won a free kick in a decent area in the 53rd minute when G Wilson’s charge down the right flank was halted by Kirwan. Young flighted a decent ball across the 6 yard line where a Colts defender headed it out for a shy.
S Wilson failed to make the most of a half chance in the 55th minute. Ward headed out Pope’s cross but it came straight out to Wilson 16 yards out, however he delayed his shot and was closed down before he could hit it.
Colts made the 1st change on 57 minutes with Tilley coming on in place of Black.
Leishman had to produce a top drawer save to keep Talbot level on the hour mark. A Colts corner from the right was cleared but only as far as Broadfoot who jinked in off the right and fired a shot for the far post that Leishman tipped wide at full stretch.
Down the other end S Wilson tested George in the 61st minute when he rifled a low right foot shot on target that George saved in an unconventional manner; blocking it with his body as he fell to his left.
The 1st goal was going to be crucial and it came Colts way in the 64th minute. The Bot defence were caught flat at a ball down the right wing. Leishman opted to come out his box to clear but was never getting there and BROADFOOT was able to clip the ball past him from a tight angle into the empty net.
Talbot now made a substitution with Shankland on for Milliken.
O’Neill managed to get himself involved in a stramash with the Talbot bench in the 68th minute but it was a handbags at dawn affair and nothing came of it.
Talbot had a chance to test George in the 70th minute when they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out. Shankland took it and curled it up & over the wall but whilst it had the accuracy it lacked the power to beat George who got across to his right to make the save.
A minute later Shankland had another opportunity. G Wilson laid the ball inside to him and he ran onto it at the edge of the box but fired his shot wide of the right post.
This was Talbot’s best spell of the match and they had a third chance in quick succession. Pope flighted a cross to the back post where S Wilson cushioned a header back across goal where his brother G Wilson met it but lifted his header over the bar.
It was now Colts turn to threaten and they had Talbot on the rack with a spell of pressure. Leishman did well to cut out Broadfoot’s ball across the face of goal after Broadfoot had got the better of Pope.
Colts then forced a succession of corners from the last of which Kirwan met it on the half volley at the back post and his shot flicked off Latta and just over the bar. When the next corner came in Talbot only partially cleared it allowing Tilley a shot at goal which Leishman blocked away.
Tucker now made a 2nd switch with holding midfielder Boyd making way for Love.
Love was involved soon after coming on when he ran onto a ball in behind Kirwan and passed it across to G Wilson in space just inside the box. He looked set to hit it but to the frustration of the Bot support he opted to back heel it to tee it up for Shankland and the move fizzled out.
Talbot’s last chance to salvage a draw came in the 86th minute. Love beat Kirwan and raced into the box and tried to fire it across the face of goal. It was blocked and came straight back to him on the right of the penalty area but he didn’t connect properly with his shot and it went tamely at George.
It was game over in the 88th minute as Colts doubled their advantage. O’Neill was allowed to carry the ball forward unchallenged before releasing it out right to find Broadfoot in space inside the area. He had the time and space to square it across goal for MUNN to bundle it home from close range and make it 2-0.
Colts now substituted the goal scorer with Munn making way for Grant.
No two ways about it, this was a very disappointing performance from Talbot who just never got going. There is no time to brood on it though as Tucker will have to lift the team for next Saturday’s trip to Tranent in the Scottish Junior Cup.
Cumbernauld – George, Duncan, Kirwan, Oliver, Ward, Broadfoot, Ballantyne, Munn, Selkirk, Black, O’Neill
Subs – Benton, Giles, Brown, Grant, Tilley
Talbot – Leishman, Latta, Lyle, Pope, White, Boyd, Young, Hyslop, Milliken, G Wilson, S Wilson
Subs – Shankland, Love, Cochrane, Gillies, Campbell, Johnstone
