Competition: SCOTTISH JUNIOR CUP

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

Talbot produced their A game when it mattered to see off Darvel in an enthralling Scottish Junior cup tie at Beechwood.

The Bot had the 1^st chance of the afternoon. Graham Wilson’s ball up the left found Boylan and he held it up before squaring it across to Park who snatched his shot well wide of target.

Eight minutes in and the referee, for the first but not the last time, infuriated the home support when he harshly booked Graham Wilson for backing in at a shy.

In the 12^th minute Boylan had an opportunity when he pounced on a loose square pass by the Darvel defence but he drilled his shot straight at Avici.

A minute later Talbot won a corner down the left when Shankland caught a defender dawdling on the ball. The corner was taken short and Wardrope swung a great cross beyond the far post where Armstrong rose to head it back across goal but it cannoned off Boylan and behind for the goal kick.

Darvel’s first chance came in the 14^th minute when McGowan won a corner down the left. When the corner came over toward the back post Robertson got his head to it but his header back across goal drifted well wide of target.

The referee angered the Bot support again in the 16^th minute. Talbot thought they’d won a free kick around halfway for a foul on Wardrope but the referee booked Talbot’s midfielder for diving.

Two minutes later Darvel threatened down the right when Reilly fed it back to Morrison and his dangerous cross was sliced behind by Stafford.

Consistency was obviously not a consideration for the ref in the 21^st minute when Eadie threw himself down looking for a foul and the ref waved play on but chose not to book the Darvel man.

In Darvel’s next attack McShane had a chance to shoot from just outside the box but instead tried to slip a pass through to Morrison but McPherson read it and got across to clear it.

Darvel were having a good spell of pressure and they had a half chance in the 22^nd minute when Stirling squared the ball across to Reilly 20 yards out but his shot was blocked en route by Armstrong.

No could accuse the referee of being a homer and he had the Bot fans up in arms again in the 24^th minute when Graham Wilson was caught late in a sliding tackle. It was a foul and probably a booking but the ref gave nothing.

In the 29^th minute McShane won Darvel a corner down the right. When it came over it landed at Robertson on the left of the area and his deflected cross skipped off the head of McCracken and Leishman beat it away only for it to hit off a Bot defender and go just wide of the post.

On the half hour mark, Shankland thought he’d beaten the offside trap as he burst through the middle but the assistant flagged for offside and Shankland was then cautioned for dissent.

Two minutes later Talbot grabbed the opener. Leishman knocked it forward and Graham Wilson then Shankland helped it on to find Boylan inside the penalty area. He cut inside Meechan who sent him tumbling and the ref pointed to the spot. MARK SHANKLAND took it and kept a cool head to dink a panenka down the centre to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

Unfortunately, the Bot’s lead proved to be short-lived as Talbot gifted Darvel an equaliser in the 36^th minute. There appeared to be no danger when Darvel hit a long diagonal ball from left to right but Aiden Wilson and Leishman got into a fankle just outside the penalty area and STIRLING was left with the simple task of passing the ball into the empty net.

However 3 minute later Talbot regained the lead thanks to a howler from Avici. For reasons unknown the Darvel keeper collected a back pass and attempted to run with it only for BRYAN BOYLAN to stick in a leg to steal it and roll into the empty goal.

The Bot could have extended their lead shortly before the break. Shankland slid a great square pass inside to find Wardrope running onto it inside the area but his shot went straight at the keeper and the sides went in with Talbot a goal to the good.

Talbot came out flying in the 2^nd half and had a good chance to move 2 ahead in the 47^th minute. Boylan got free on the right of the area and he pulled it back to the unmarked Shankland but his effort from 12 yards was well-saved by Avici. The referee then booked Meechan who had committed a foul in the build-up.

In the 53^rd minute Talbot missed a golden chance to extend their lead. Stafford’s ball down the right was met by Boylan who laid off to Shankland. He in turn back-heeled the ball to Boylan who took it round the keeper and tried to pass it into the net only for a Darvel defender to clear it off the goal line.

Talbot were breaching the Darvel defence at will and in the 55^th minute a good ball in behind the defence sent Boylan free down the left but he fired his shot wide of target.

Boylan had his name taken in the 58^th minute for dissent.

With an hour gone Talbot came close again to grabbing their third. Graham Wilson hooked the ball down the left to send Boylan through one on one with the keeper. His low drive was blocked by Avici and spun to Shankland whose follow-up effort was cleared off the line.

Darvel weren’t at the races and made a quadruple substitution in the 62^nd minute with Mackenzie, Morrison, Reilly and McGowan making way for Moore, Caldwell, Glasgow and Allan.

Talbot nearly paid for their missed chances in the 68^th minute. Stirling cut in off the left and cut it back to Glasgow whose shot clattered the right hand post.

Having survived that scare Talbot then nearly scored at the other end. Boylan beat his ma on the right side of the box and angled a low drive across goal but once again Avici produced a good stop.

Moments later Boylan got in behind the defence and took it wide of the keeper before chipping it back towards Shankland but McShane got there first to volley it over his own bar..

In the 71^st minute Talbot made a double switch up top with Shankland and Boylan making way for Samson and Taylor.

Moore then became the latest name in the book for a clumsy aerial challenge on McCracken.

Avici was single-handedly defying Talbot and the keeper reacted quickly again in the 74^th minute when Wardrope slid a pass through to Samson in the centre of the box; the keeper racing off his line to make the block and taking a knock for his trouble.

With 10 minutes to go Darvel broke down the right and Meechan’s low ball into the box was sliced over his own bar by Armstrong. When the corner came over Leishman took it comfortably.

In the 83^rd minute the ref waved away strong Talbot claims for a free kick and possible red card when Avici raced to the edge of his area and appeared to grab the ball outside the box to prevent Samson from getting to it but the ref ignored Talbot’s appeals.

A minute later the game was done & dusted as Talbot finally grabbed their third. Taylor climbed well to meet a ball chipped into the area and headed it back down and across for KIER SAMSON to fire past the keeper.

Darvel’s misery was complete in the 88^th minute when they were reduced to 10 men. Allan forearm smashed Taylor as they chased after a ball in the Bot half and the ref produced a straight red.

From the resultant free kick Talbot flighted the ball up the centre where it broke back to Park who struck it well but his effort flew over the bar from 25 yards.

An excellent win for Talbot, who could and should have won by a more convincing margin, and now face the short trek to Cumnock in the next round.

Next up though it’s back to league business when Glenafton visit Beechwood next Saturday with Talbot looking to keep their momentum going against their local rivals.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, McCracken, Armstrong, Wardrope, Park, Graham Wilson, Boylan, Shankland

Subs – Taylor, Mason, Samson, Ballantyne, Crawford, White

Darvel – Avici, Meechan, Eadie, Meggatt, McGowan, Reilly, Robertson, McShane, Morrison, Mackenzie, Stirling

Subs – Allan, Kirkpatrick, Moore, Truesdale, Caldwell, Glasgow, Scott