Competition: SOUTH REGION CHALLENGE CUP

TALBOT FALL AT THE FINAL HURDLE DESPITE A BRAVE ATTEMPT.

Match Report: Murray Steele, Photography: Craig McGhee, Media: Ross Newlands.

Talbot came out 2nd best in the South Challenge final as they fell to a two goal defeat to big spending Lowland league champs East Kilbride.

The first clear chance of the afternoon came Talbot’s way in the 2nd minute. Thomson was fouled in the build-up but the referee waved play on as it had broken into the path of Gillies who carried on into the penalty area but swept his low shot wide of the left post from 15 yards. Talbot had a let off in the 6th minute when the dangerous Robertson cut in off the left onto his right foot and swerved a ball across the face of goal. There were no takers though and it sailed wide and behind for the goal kick.

In the 8th minute play swept from end to end. Firstly a Talbot attack broke down and East K countered through Robertson who won a corner down the left. It was taken short and worked square to McShane whose shot from 20 yards was blocked. Talbot now raced up field on the counter through Thomson who got free down the left and squared it across goal where it went just behind Gillies in the centre. Talbot called the keeper into action in the 10th minute. Thomson’s left to right diagonal found Abed haring free on the right. He cut it back into the path of Gillies inside the area and his low drive was blocked by Connelly.

It had been an encouraging start from Talbot but the Bot found themselves a goal behind after 13 mins. Flanagan cut in on off the right and was challenged by Wilson. Flanagan reacted quickest to the loose ball and slid it through to find BALDE on the right of the area and he gave Armour no chance as he angled it across and into the far bottom corner. Three mins later Talbot found themselves facing a free kick just outside the area when Robertson was caught by Sime. Ferguson took it, 19 yards out, at the left corner of the box but his curling effort sailed harmlessly wide.

Robertson was causing problems down Talbot’s right and E K’s next attack saw him speed down the wing before checking back and floating a dangerous cross to the back post but fortunately there was no one to take advantage. In the 19th minute Schoneville sped up the left wing and lifted a good ball into the centre which saw Hamilton clear it over his own crossbar. The resultant corner was played to the back post where it was headed clear of the box. Talbot thought they’d then won a free kick 25 yards out for an aerial challenge but to the ire of the majority of the crowd, the ref gave it the other way.

The first caution of the afternoon was awarded in the 29th minute to Spence for a trip on Schoneville. Two mins later Talbot got a scare when Flanagan managed to get away from Slooves down the right of the penalty area but his low ball across goal was cut out. In the 34th minute Balde received a yellow card for obstructing Boyle and E K’s manager Kennedy joined him in the ref’s notebook for protesting the decision.The Bot’s next attack saw Schoneville make his way to the bye line where he swung over a good cross to the back post but it went a begging as there was no one who’d read it.

In the 38th minute Armour was called into action. Flanagan cut inside off the wing and fired a left foot shot on target that Armour pushed wide of his right post. When the corner came over from the left Ferguson got his head to it but glanced it over the bar. A minute later Talbot passed up a good chance to draw level. The ref allowed an advantage as the ball ran through to Gillies and he carried it on into the penalty area but he sent his shot wide of the left post from 15 yards.

In the 40th minute Talbot won a free kick in their own half which Slooves hit up the left to find Schoneville. He delivered a good cross beyond the back post which found Abed. He took a touch rather than hit it 1st time and when he hit it his low shot was blocked. It spun out to Sime with his back to goal. He was unable to turn and get a shot away but it broke back to Thomson whose low shot was cleared by a defender. In the closing minutes of the half Robertson sent over a good cross to the back post which Schoneville headed behind for a corner which came to nothing and the sides went in with Talbot trailing by a goal.

Talbot got off to a shaky start to the 2nd period when they were almost caught out by a long ball over the top in the 47th minute. Armour wasn’t getting to it but McPherson stepped in to clear. Two mins later and it should have been two nil. Flanagan’s cut back from the right found its way to Ferguson 8 yards out. He hit the target but didn’t generate any power and Armour was able to save at his right hand post. In the 50th minute Talbot won a free kick just wide of the E K penalty area. Schoneville curled it to the far post where McPherson climbed to head it back down and across goal but he was penalised.

A minute later Armour made a good stop to keep the score at 1. Elliot gathered in the left of the area and pulled it back out to Balde 22 yards from goal. His half-volley took a deflection and Armour did well to turn it round the left post. The Bot were left with a mountain to climb in the 56th min when they conceded a needless penalty. East K had the ball down the left of the area but the move looked to have petered out; however Sime caught an attacker when trying to clear and the ref pointed to the spot. ELLIOT took it and gave Armour no chance as he tucked it inside the left post to make it 2-0.

Talbot needed a goal back and had a half chance to reduce the deficit in the 59th minute. A counter-attack saw Gillies find Thomson racing forward and he released it to his left to find the run of McAvoy. He got away from Balde and into the left of the penalty box but his final shot flew straight at Connelly. East K then squandered a chance to kill the game off in the 61st minute. A square ball from the left found Balde in space but he pulled his shot wide of target.

In the 66th minute Mimnaugh had his name taken for a late challenge on Sime. East K were guilty of being a bit over elaborate in the 69th minute. Balde slid it into the feet of Ferguson on the right of the area. He could have hit it but instead laid it square to Elliot who looked to have the goal at his mercy but took a touch and his shot from 6 yards was deflected wide for a corner. The Bot’s next attack saw Schoneville steam up the left and whip over a good cross. The defence could only clear it out as far as Thomson, 15 yards out, who met it sweetly but his pile driver was blocked en route by a defender. In the 74th minute McAvoy had his name taken for a late challenge on Hamilton.

Talbot now made a triple change with Kerr, Wardrope & Nimmo on in place of Schoneville, Boyle & Thomson. In the 77th minute Abed was impeded as he tried to burst in off the right. The ball ran through to Sime and the ref waved play on but his low ball across hit the first man and was cleared. A minute later Gillies came close to pulling Talbot back into it when he let fly from 25 yards but Connelly got across to tip it over the bar. Talbot then won a free kick out on the right for a foul on Abed which also saw Robertson receive a caution. Wardrope curled a good ball over beyond the back post where McPherson headed it back down and across but it was cleared in the centre.

With 9 mins remaining Nimmo did well to prod the ball on into the path of Gillies inside the area. He got on the end of it but was stretching as he went for it and his low drive was blocked by Connelly. As the clock ran down East K made a couple of changes. Firstly O’Connor came on for Flanagan and then with 3 mins remaining McKinley replaced Elliot. Talbot now also made their final changes with Mitchell on for McAvoy and Langan replacing Gillies.

Talbot had a late chance for a consolation when Kerr got away down the left and swung a good cross into the centre. It came to Nimmo 8 yards out with his back to goal and he went for the overhead kick. He made a good connection but unfortunately it went straight down the centre and Connelly held it under his bar.

It wasn’t to be for Talbot, and it’s hard to argue that East Kilbride weren’t worthy winners. Talbot now dust themselves off and go again next Saturday when they return to North Lanarkshire, this time facing Gartcairn in the league.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Schoneville, Wilson, Slooves, Sime, Boyle, Gillies, McAvoy, Thomson, Abed Subs – Nimmo, Mitchell, Kerr, Wardrope, Langan, Hanlon, Scott (gk)

East Kilbride – Connelly, Fagan, Flanagan, Balde, Elliot, Robertson, Ferguson, Mimnaugh, McShane, Hamilton, Spence Subs – McDonald, O’Connor, Livingstone, McKinley, Craik, Truesdale (gk)