SOUTH REGION CHALLENGE CUP – Page 2 – Auchinleck Talbot Football Club

Auchinleck Talbot v Jeanfield Swifts

JEANFIELD SWIFTLY DESPATCHED BY IN FORM TALBOT

Report: Murray Steele. Photographs: Craig McGhee, Media Lee Conn.

Talbot turned in their best display of the season, making light work of seeing off Jeanfield Swifts to advance into the 4th round of the South Challenge cup.

The Bot started strongly, winning a corner in the 3rd minute after Nimmo’s shot at goal was blocked and then ricocheted behind off a Swifts defender.

Fergus was fortunate not to end up in the book in the 10th minute for a blatant obstruction but the ref contented himself with a stern lecture.

Swifts, wearing a dayglo shirt that would be visible through thick fog, made a slow start and didn’t threaten until the 11th minute when a good ball out wide right released their winger who fired a good early ball across goal that Schoneville cleared.

A minute later Talbot were nearly in down the right. McPherson’s ball found Nimmo inside the penalty are but he was just offside.

In the 16th minute the visitors won a free kick 35 yards from goal. Yates took it and drilled a good low effort wide of the right post.

Talbot’s next attack saw Wardrope drive a cross over from the right which Boyd headed toward goal but into the face of a stiff breeze and it ended up floating into the hands of Swinton.

The Bot had another header on target in the 20th minute. Wardrope’s corner from the right was cleared straight back out to him and his 2nd cross went over to the far post where McPherson headed it down on target where it was held by Swinton

The opening goal came in the 22nd minute. Swifts were anything but, dallying on the ball at the edge of their own area where Boyle managed to nick in and dispossess Fergus. The ball ran through to CONNOR BOYD who gave the keeper no chance from 15 yards – burying it inside the left post.

In the 25th minute Talbot doubled their lead. Langan found Boyd down the left and he slipped it wide to find Gillies whose low drive was turned behind by the keeper. When Wardrope’s corner came into the near post AIDEN WILSON met it to glance a header beyond the keeper.

The Bot’s next attack saw Gillies race forward, despite an attempt to haul him back, with the ref allowing play to continue. He fired a dangerous ball across goal where Whitehead slid it behind for the corner. The ref then booked a Swifts player for the earlier shirt tug.

With half an hour gone Nimmo nearly added to Talbot’s lead. His low angled drive from the left of the area was well stopped by Swinton whose outstretched leg put it over the bar.

In the 32nd minute Campbell of the visitors picked up their 2nd yellow card of the afternoon for a late challenge on Boyle.

Five minutes before the interval Swifts had a let off. Nimmo drilled a dangerous low ball across from the right of the area that hit off Yates and nearly went in for an own goal but flew just off target. When the corner came over McPherson won it at the back post but his header was safely gathered by the keeper.

In the 43rd minute Wilson chipped a good ball over the defence that nearly picked out Nimmo in behind but it just skipped away from him.

The visitors had knocked the ball around well, inside their own half, without offering any threat but did give Talbot a scare a minute before the interval. Campbell cut in off the left and drilled a powerful shot at goal that Armour spilled but the defence reacted quickly and got to the rebound first to clear with Talbot going in 2 up at the break.

Five minutes into the 2nd period Swifts made a change with Dodd coming on for Hamilton.

In the 51st minute Campbell won Swifts a corner down the left when his cross was blocked behind. When the in swinging corner came over Armour punched it clear.

Action then switched to the other end where Nimmo rattled a shot off the underside of the bar but it wouldn’t have counted as the assistant’s flag went up for offside.

In the 54th minute Nimmo was unlucky not to grab Talbot’s 3rd. His shot from 18 yards came off the right hand post and hit the keeper who knew little about it as it flew behind for the corner. When the corner came over Swinton punched it clear under pressure. McPherson gathered on the right of the box and drilled it low across where it was blocked by a defender. It came out to Langan who teed it up for Boyle but he scooped his shot well over from the edge of the area.

On the hour mark Nimmo got onto a ball down the right and fired into the side-netting from a tight angle.

A minute later Talbot had another half chance. A corner from the right was only cleared out as far as Boyle who fed it to Boyd. It was switched out wide right and when the cross came over it fell for Nimmo who fired wide of target.

The visitors now made a double change with Brown & Sutherland making way for Davies & Keast.

Talbot were unfortunate not to be out of sight and could have found their lead halved in the 66th minute when Swifts came close. Philp met it on the half-volley 19 yards out and Armour did well to tip his shot over the crossbar. When the corner came over Talbot could only clear it out to the dee where Dodd’s low drive was blocked away.

Talbot now made a triple change with Wardrope, Nimmo & Boyd being replaced by Thomson, McAvoy & Smith.

Twenty mins from time Smith won Talbot a corner down the left. When Thomson’s corner came in Swinton could only punch it clear and it was gathered on the right by Smith. His chipped cross just cleared McAvoy’s head and was gathered at the 2nd attempt by the keeper.

Two mins later Talbot broke out of defence with Thomson releasing McAvoy who burst through the centre before firing a shot wide of the left post.

Swifts now made further changes with Fergus and Campbell being replaced by Urquhart and Struthers.

In the 78th minute Boyle was caught late as he shoved it right to find Langan in space 20 yards out. Langan’s shot was blocked but the ref pulled it back for the earlier foul. Boyle took the free kick and hammered a low shot on target that Swinton shoved around his left post.

In the 80th minute Thomson won a corner down the right. Schoneville lifted it beyond the back post where McPherson floated a header back across that the keeper just managed to tip away.

Seven mins from time Clark came on for Langan and within two minutes he was up-ended by Whitehead who received a booking for his challenge.

In the 87th minute Talbot finally managed to make the game safe with a 3rd goal. Clark played it into the area where Gillies was sent crashing by Mollinson. The ref pointed to the spot and EWAN THOMSON drilled the penalty low inside the right post to make it 3-0.

In the closing minute of the match Abed came on for McPherson but had no time to make any impact before the ref’s whistle saved the players from enduring any more of the rain.

A good win for Talbot who now have a spare week before facing up to Broxburn in the senior cup at Beechwood.

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, McPherson, Schoneville, Kerr, Wilson, Langan, Gillies, Boyle, Boyd, Nimmo, Wardrope

Subs – McAvoy, Smith, Clark, Thomson, Abed, Miller, Cameron (gk)

Jeanfield Swifts – Swinton, Mollinson, Whitehead, Brown, Hamilton, Fergus, Yates, Sutherland, Philp, McMurchie, Campbell

Subs – Davies, Keast, Struthers, Dodd, Arnold, Urquhart, Cullerton

Bo’ness Athletic v Auchinleck Talbot

TALBOT TO THE FOUR.

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

Talbot bounced back well from last week’s disappointment to sweep aside Bo’ness Athletic in the 2nd round of the South Challenge cup.

The Bot could have grabbed an early opener. A ball over from the left found Sime 6 yards out but his side-footed finish went straight at the keeper.

The Bot’s next attack saw Wardrope find Smith free on the right. He had Sime in space on the far side but went for the shot and his effort was blocked.

In the 12^th minute a pass down the right found Wardrope breaking in behind the defence. He carried on into the box and might have went for goal but opted to square it across goal where a defender managed to cut it out.

Quarter of an hour in Talbot had another decent chance to take the lead. Schoneville whipped over a great cross from the left that Boyd met at the near post but his header flew wide of the right hand post.

In the 26^th minute McPherson became the first name in the book when he was cautioned for kicking the ball away after conceding a free kick just wide of the box. Ogilvie took it and his cross was headed clear by Schoneville.

Half an hour gone and Wright received a yellow card for a blatant shirt tug just inside the Bo’ness half.

A minute later Talbot passed up a golden chance to score. A ball straight down the middle cleared the defence and found Smith at the edge of the area. The keeper had raced out to close the angle and anywhere over him or to either side was a certain goal but Smith’s shot flew into his midriff.

In the 39^th minute Sime gathered out on the right and curled a left foot cross over to the back post where Gillies headed wide.

Within a minute Talbot had another half chance. Smith tried to slip a ball through to Boyd inside the area that was well cut out. Gillies retrieved it wide on the left and swung over a cross that Smith glanced wide of target.

Neither side could make any further headway in the closing minutes of the half and the teams went in goal less at the interval.

The home side made a change at the start of the 2^nd period with Wilsdon coming on.

Talbot’s team talk at half-time seemed to do the trick and the Bot were on the front foot from the start of the 2^nd half. In the opening minute Wright barged Boyd over conceding a free kick out wide on the left. Wardrope squared it inside to Smith who cut into the left of the area and dinked a ball across goal that a defender lashed over his own bar. When Wardrope’s corner came over it just cleared Slooves’ head at the back post.

In the 48^th minute Talbot won a penalty. Boyd headed it down & inside to Smith who rolled a pass into the heart of the box. Both Boyd & Sime went for it & Sime was taken down by Wright’s sliding challenge. The ref pointed to the spot and probably should have sent Wright packing for a 2^nd bookable offence. MICK WARDROPE took the spot kick and sent Currid the wrong way to put Talbot 1-0 ahead.

Talbot doubled their lead in the 55^th minute. Gillies played it on to find Boyd on the right of the area and he cut it back into the path of AUSTIN SIME who slotted home to make it 2-0.

Bo’ness had offered little threat but did have a half chance in the 57^th minute. Heaver’s cross from the left was headed clear and came out to Mitchell 19 yards out who drove it low and wide of the right post.

Talbot were then immediately back on the attack when a ball over the top towards Smith forced Currid to race out his area to make the block.

On the hour mark Wilsdon received a caution for nearly pulling the shirt off the back of Wardrope.

Bo’ness now made a further change with Husband on for Weir.

Talbot were in cruise control but calamity struck in the 63^rd minute when the Bot conceded a goal straight out of the what happened next round from A Question of Sport. A hit & hope ball was played from the home side’s left back area up the centre and there appeared to be no danger. However, Armour had raced out his area to clear with Slooves leaving it for the keeper only for the ball to sail past Armour who couldn’t catch up with it as it carried on into the empty net to make it 2-1.

The goal momentarily fazed Talbot and in the 64^th minute Husband cut in on his left foot and fired over the bar from 25 yards out.

Three minutes later and it was almost all square. Abed surged out from the back into the centre of the pitch only to see his pass intercepted. Athletic countered and Nimmo saw his effort from 20 yards curl just wide of the left hand post.

Abed seemed to have picked up a knock and had to be replaced with Clark coming on at right-back and the home side also made a further change with Sharples on for Ogilvie.

In the 71^st minute a ball up the right found Nimmo who managed to cut inside past Schoneville but McPherson got across to cover. He thought he’d cleared his lines but despite his protests and in the absence of any linesmen the ref awarded the corner to Bo’ness. Talbot didn’t clear their lines initially and the ball pinballed around for a bit before being cleared.

Talbot’s next attack saw Smith touch the ball off to Clark on the right of the area. He looked to be in for a shot at goal but a well-timed tackle saw it put behind for the corner.

In the 75^th minute Gillies was fouled in the air 25 yards out but play was allowed to go on through Smith who saw his shot from the left of the area blocked behind for a corner. When Wardrope’s corner came over Slooves looked set to score but headed over the bar from 6 yards out.

Talbot now made a double change with Sime & Smith making way for Langan & Nimmo.

Bo’ness won a corner down the right in the 79^th minute. When the corner came over Smith met it but glanced his header well wide of the right post.

In the 83^rd minute Talbot made their final change with McAvoy replacing Boyd. The sub was involved immediately – meeting a free kick to cushion header inside to Wardrope whose shot found the target but lacked the power to test the keeper.

It was game over in the 84^th minute when Talbot grabbed their 3^rd of the afternoon. KYLE MCAVOY was allowed to turn just outside the box and he drilled a low shot across the keeper and inside the right post to make it 3-1.

Three minutes from time Talbot broke down the right through McAvoy. It was then switched square to find Schoneville on the opposite wing who fed it onto the overlapping Gillies. He fired it across goal but got too much on it.

A minute later Gillies lifted a dangerous cross over from the left that McAvoy just failed to connect with in front of goal.

A minute from time Talbot wrapped it up with their 4^th goal. A free kick was floated into the box where the keeper came from his line to gather. Nimmo beat him to it and got the slightest of head flicks to lift it over him where LUKE GILLIES headed it into the empty net.

A comfortable away win for Talbot who controlled most of the match, bar for a sticky spell after conceding. Next up for Talbot it’s back to league duties when they travel to the coast to face Largs

Bo’ness Athletic – Currid, Mitchell, Smith, Wright, Woodburn, Nimmo, Weir, Ogilvie, Cunningham, Macdonald, Heaver. SUBS – Husband, Wilsdon, Cameron, Shanks, Sharples

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Abed, Schoneville, McPherson, Slooves, Boyle, Wardrope, Gillies, Boyd, Smith, Sime. Subs – McAvoy, Nimmo, Langan, Clark, Kerr, Walker, Cameron

Bo’ness Athletic

Andrew Miller

SPONSORED BY: Margaret McGurk. G.S.C 2012 Coaches.

JOINED TALBOT: August 2024

D.O.B: 8th June 2006

TALBOT DEBUT: 17th August 2024, South Challenge Cup v Huchison Vale, won 1-0

FIRST TALBOT GOAL:

FORMER TEAMS: Kilmarnock,

Auchinleck Talbot v Hutchison Vale FC

TALBOT TRIUMPH IN DOUR ENCOUNTER.

Report: Murray Steele. Photographs: Craig McGhee, Media Lee Conn.

A much changed Talbot got the job done to advance past Lothian Thistle in the South Challenge cup in a tie the Bot could have won by a much more convincing margin.

Talbot started the game strongly and nearly took the lead after 4 minutes. A short corner down the left was worked to the edge of the area where Walker curled a shot just wide of the left hand post.

A minute later Smith surged forward before feeding it to his right to McAvoy who saw his shot blocked behind for a corner.

The pressure continued and Miller came close to putting it into his own net when he went to clear Abed’s ball across goal and sliced it over the crossbar. From the resultant corner Langan played it into the path of Smith who drilled a low shot wide of the left post.

In the 9^th minute Miller clipped a ball over the top and McAvoy managed to out-muscle Chisholm to claim it and pull it back toward Sime who had the ball nicked off him as he went to hit it.

The visitors hadn’t been over the half-way line up until the 13^th minute when Sime dallied on the ball and lost possession 30 yards out. It broke into the path of Ndlovu who bent a shot over the bar from 20 yards.

On the quarter hour mark Walker cut a ball back from the left to find Abed on the edge of the area who prodded a shot wide of target.

Talbot were denied what looked a stonewall penalty in the 19^th minute. Slooves was given the time & space to carry it forward and had a dig from 30 yards that Miller blocked with his arm but the officials gave nothing.

However, a minute later Talbot’s pressure finally paid off. Langan won it and raced forward into the box. He might have shot himself but instead slipped it to his right where KYLE MCAVOY hit it low across the keeper to make it 1-0.

In the 23^rd minute Talbot nearly doubled their lead. Kerr laid the ball back to Walker inside the box and his shot flew just past the left post.

The Bot’s next effort at goal came in the 27^th minute. Walker played it to Langan who found Smith bursting free down the right and he tried to angle it back across and beyond the keeper but Samuel smothered his effort.

The visitors won a free kick out wide on the left in the 31^st minute after Chisholm was caught. Ndlovu took it and curled it over to the back post where Slooves headed behind. When the corner came over Miller thumped it clear.

Cameron didn’t have much to do all afternoon but was called upon in the 34^th minute. A long ball down the centre was only partially cleared and fell to Wringe 20 yards out. He fired it first time on target and Cameron made a good stop to his right to turn it away for a corner.

This was the visitors best spell and they had another half chance soon after when Macdonald was able to turn in the box and play it back to Stewart who hit a tame effort on target.

Five minutes before the break Talbot put together a nice move that ended with Miller swinging a dangerous cross beyond the back post. Sime couldn’t quite get on the end of it and required treatment after colliding with the wall behind the goal.

In the final action of the half Smith shot wide of goal from 20 yards and the sides went in with Talbot leading 1-0.

Talbot got off to a bit of a false start to the 2^nd half conceding a few corners and free kicks without any harm being done.

In the 51^st minute Kerr whipped over a great cross from the left that Miller headed just wide of his own goal. When the corner came in from the right Slooves met it only to see his header brilliantly saved by Samuel who turned it over the bar.

The Bot’s next attack saw Kerr fire a ball across the box toward McAvoy but it broke off him and went behind for the goal kick.

Talbot then conceded a needless corner down the left which Ndlovu took and his in swinger had to be palmed away to safety by Cameron.

A 2^nd goal would have eased any worries and Talbot came close to it in the 57^th minute. A free kick down the left was met by McAvoy who headed it down into the path of Smith whose low drive was blocked by Samuel’s legs at his right hand post.

Two minutes later McAvoy won a corner down the left. Langan’s ball in wasn’t dealt with and it broke back out to Langan on the left of the area. He struck it on target but Samuel again did well to make the stop.

Lothian Thistle now made a change with Devine on for Signorini.

In the 62^nd minute Sime cushioned a header inside to find McAvoy on the right of the penalty area but his low drive went straight at the keeper.

A minute later Walker swung over a good cross from the left that Sime met in the centre – sending his header wide of the right hand post.

Talbot’s next effort came when Miller got on the end of Sime’s deep cross and floated a header back across goal that drifted over the bar.

The visitors now made a further change with Mackay on for Herd.

In the 69^th minute Talbot made a triple change with Langan, Walker & Smith making way for Boyle, Gillies & Boyd.

Shortly after Abed whipped over a great ball that only needed a touch but there was no one in the centre to convert. It was retrieved out on the left by Gillies who swung over a good cross that was well defended.

In the 74^th minute Boyle tried his luck from distance but his shot slipped wide of the right hand post.

With quarter of an hour remaining Miller of the visitors picked up a caution for kicking the ball away.

Ten minutes from time McAvoy’s cut back from the right cannoned off a defender and flew just wide of the left post. Before the corner could be taken Talbot made further changes with Wardrope & Clark on in place of Sime & Smith.

The corner was pulled back to Clark who whipped over a great ball that Chisholm headed clear from the goal mouth.

In the 84^th minute Wardrope broke down the left and sent a cross over to the far side of the box where McAvoy headed it back down and across goal but no one was there to take advantage.

Three minutes from time Kerr found Clark on the right of the penalty area. He cut inside onto his left foot and drilled a low shot on goal that produced another fine save from Samuel who turned it past the post.

A minute later Boyle played it into the feet of Clark inside the box and he teed it back into the path of Boyle whose shot went just past the left post.

In the final minute of regulation time a ball in from the left found McAvoy in the area. He turned on it and powered a shot narrowly past the left hand post.

Deep into injury time Talbot had a late scare when they conceded a free kick out on the right on the bye line for which Gillies received a caution but the visitors could make nothing of it and Talbot saw it out for the win.

Next up for Talbot it’s back to league duty when they travel through to North Glasgow to face Drumchapel United.

Auchinleck Talbot – Cameron, Miller, Kerr, Slooves, Wilson, Langan, Sime, Walker, McAvoy, Smith, Abed

Subs – Boyd, Wardrope, Gillies, Boyle, Clark, McPherson, Armour

Lothian Thistle H.V – Samuel, Herd, Macdonald, Maxwell, Wringe, Stewart, Chisholm, Signorini, Walton, Ndlovu, Miller

Subs – Clapperton, Harrison, Mackay, Morrison, Jelen, Devine, Davidson

Corey Armour

SPONSORED BY: Lillian White. Tanner Financial Advice Ltd

JOINED TALBOT: July 2024

D.O.B: 12th June 2016

TALBOT DEBUT: 27/07/2024 v Darvel, WOSL Premier League Won 2-0

FIRST TALBOT GOAL:

FORMER TEAMS: Kilmarnock, Maybole.

Corey is currently on loan from Kilmarnock for the season after a short loan spell with Maybole. Has enjoyed some senior experience with the Kilmarnock B side in the Scottish Challenge Cup