Season: 2017/18

Talbot won this Ayrshire weekly press cup tie comfortably, easing past Whitletts without ever really finding top gear.
The 1st meaningful attack of the afternoon came after 5 minutes. Shankland fed the ball out to Graham Wilson on the left wing & he swept over a superb early cross that Glasgow & then Hyslop just failed to connect with.
The opening goal came after 20 minutes. Stephen Wilson burst forward before releasing the ball left to find Graham Wilson. He passed it into the path of JAMIE GLASGOW who slotted a low left-foot shot past the keeper to make it 1-0.
Three minutes later Talbot threatened the Whitletts goal again. A long diagonal ball found Armstrong on the right of the area & he floated a header back across goal which Mullen headed over his own bar. Shankland pulled the resultant corner back into the path of Stephen Wilson whose net bound drive was blocked away off a Whitletts defender.
Forsyth had his name taken in the 27th minute for a series of fouls on Graham Wilson.
In a rare attack Whitletts managed to win a corner in the 32nd minute. It was delivered to the back post where Buchanan headed it well over.
Action then switched to the other end where Glasgow cut in off the left wing before firing a shot inches wide of Fraser’s right post.
Talbot’s next attack saw Leishman bowl the ball out to Armstrong on the right. He slid a perfectly weighted pass through to release Glasgow whose cross was cut out by Fraser at his near post.
Anderson became the 2nd Vics player cautioned when he was shown a yellow in the 36th minute for a late challenge on Graham Wilson.
Two minutes later Talbot had a half chance when Armstrong’s cross into the area fell to Shankland. He brought it down but was closed down before he could get a shot away. The ball broke to Stephen Wilson whose fierce drive was blocked by Mullen.
Boyd became the 3rd Vics player to be booked when he had his name taken in the 38th minute.
Whitletts over-physical approach saw Fisher join the growing crime count when he was cautioned in the 40th minute for a very late challenge on Faulds. The resultant free kick was played into the feet of Glasgow who tried to place it low inside the right post. Fraser dived to his right to keep it out & although Graham Wilson pounced on the rebound to knock it home, the flag rightly went up for offside.
Talbot kept pressing but couldn’t add to their lead & went in 1-0 ahead at the interval.
Both sides made a change during the break with McIlroy coming on for Graham Wilson & Ogston replacing Forsyth for the visitors.
Just as in the 1st half Talbot were doing all the pressing & came close to doubling their advantage in the 52nd minute. The Bot were awarded a free kick 22 yards out after Stephen Wilson was fouled & Shankland struck it over the wall only to be denied by Fraser who flew to his right to touch it onto the bar. The rebound came out to Glasgow but he failed to take advantage; heading over the bar from close range.
Talbot kept the pressure on & a minute later Hyslop came close when he let fly from 20 yards; his low drive being deflected just wide of the right post.
Shankland took the corner quickly; finding Stephen Wilson in space but he curled his shot way over the bar from 15 yards out.
Whitletts now made a further change with Louis Kerr coming on in place of Fisher.
Talbot had the visitors defence at full stretch in the 57th minute. Armstrong slid the ball through to Faulds on the right touchline & he whipped a good early cross over that Mullen did well to clear.
The 2nd goal ought to have arrived in the 61st minute. Glasgow gathered out on the left & played a great ball across the face of goal to find McIlroy free at the back post but he got his angles all wrong & side-footed it back across goal & well wide of target.
The game should have been out of sight but with only a goal in it Whitletts were far from out of it & the visitors gave Talbot a wee fright in the 63rd minute. They were awarded a free kick 30 yards out which Buchanan took & he hit a screamer that flew just over the bar.
Talbot were soon back on the attack & threatened the Vics goal again in the 67th minute. Faulds diagonal pass found Glasgow inside the area & he was able to head it past the advancing Fraser. He gathered the ball near the bye line & tried to squeeze it across the face of goal but it was blocked behind for the corner.
Talbot took the corner short & Shankland tried his luck from the left of the area; his low volley deflecting off a defender & going straight to Fraser at his near post.
Tucker made a double substitution in the 69th minute with Hyslop & Shankland making way for White & McPherson.
Within a minute, Talbot grabbed their 2nd to effectively kill the tie off. SEAN MCILROY surged in off the left touchline, squeezing between two Whitletts defenders before drilling a low shot inside Fraser’s right post.
Leishman hadn’t been called upon to do much but he was tested in the 76th minute. George was allowed to drift in unopposed from the left & Leishman had to get down low at his right post to hold his effort.
Talbot had a chance to grab another in the 79th minute. White carried it forward before releasing it inside to Stephen Wilson. He spread play out to the right to find Glasgow whose low drive was deflected into the side-netting.
Two minutes later Faulds headed over the bar when he met Wilson’s cross from the left.
The visitors had a late chance to snatch a consolation effort in the 88th minute. Talbot lost possession inside the Vics half & the ball was knocked down the right wing where it found Forsyth breaking free. He sped on into the area but took a wild swipe at it & sent his shot flying well off target.
Not one of Talbot’s better performances but a comfortable enough win & a clean sheet. Next up for Talbot is the 1st leg of the Scottish cup semi-final where they face Lochee United at Beechwood.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Armstrong, Lyle, Harvey, McCracken, Stephen Wilson, Faulds, Hyslop, Graham Wilson, Glasgow, Shankland

Subs – McIlroy, White, Pope, McPherson, Hewitt (gk)

Whitletts Victoria – Fraser, Anderson, Brown, Mullen, Isaac Kerr, Buchanan, Fisher, Sloan, Forsyth, Boyd, George

Subs – Milligan, Louis Kerr, Barbour, Ogston, Dempsey

REPORT BY MURRAY STEELE

Photographs by Paul Flynn.

Report by Murray Steele

All good things must come to an end & Talbot’s unbeaten start to 2018 came to a grinding halt as they lost 3-1 to a Clydebank in a match where Talbot paid the price for failing to put away numerous chances in the 1st half.
The game started as well as could be expected with Talbot carving out the 1st clear opening in the 8th minute. Hyslop found Steven Wilson on the overlap & Shankland met his cross 6 yards out but steered his header straight at Lumsden.
A minute later Talbot took the lead. McIlroy burst down the left & lifted a cross to the back post where Hyslop guided a free header home to make it 1-0.
Talbot nearly doubled their lead in the 14th minute. Hyslop’s pass sent Graham Wilson free on the left & he carried on into the area before lifting a shot over Lumsden. It smacked off the face of the bar & came out to McIlroy but he was closed down before he could tuck the rebound home & his low drive was blocked. The ball broke out to Steven Wilson & he fired over the bar from 15 yards.
Two minutes later Pope was unfortunate not to add to Talbot’s lead. Shankland’s corner from the right came to him 10 yards out & he took it on the half volley drilling a shot inches wide of the left hand upright.
It was all Talbot & the next chance came to McIlroy. Pope bent a good ball down the left to find him inside the area but he got his angles wrong & shot wide of the right post.
Pope then tried his luck from distance, shooting just wide of the left post from 35 yards after Steven Wilson squared the ball to him.
Talbot’s next effort at goal came in the 25th minute. Graham Wilson fed the ball back to Pope who slung a dangerous cross over that the Bankies defence failed to clear. It came out to Shankland at the edge of the area & he volleyed it on target but straight at the keeper who turned it over the bar.
When the corner came over Pope arrowed a header on target that had the keeper well-beaten but a defender was on hand to clear it off the line. The Bankies couldn’t clear their lines & the ball came to Graham Wilson on the left. He went for precision rather than power, attempting to pass it into the net & Lumsden got down to his left to touch it away.
Hyslop picked up the 1st caution of the afternoon when he was penalised for a late challenge on Paterson.
Clydebank’s 1st close call came in the 32nd minute. McClair passed it inside to Higgins & he fired just over the bar from the edge of the area.
As the weather deteriorated so did the match itself with play becoming scrappy & confined to the middle third.
With half time approaching Talbot had two further chances to put some daylight between themselves & the Bankies. Firstly, McIlroy teed it up for Steven Wilson deep inside the penalty area but he blasted his shot off Paterson & the referee dismissed Talbot’s shouts that it had struck the defender’s arm.
Talbot’s final chance came two minutes before the interval. Forsyth fouled Shankland 30 yards out & Shankland took the setpiece himself; firing it over the wall & a whisker wide of the right post, and so for all their dominance Talbot left the field only a goal to the good.
The 2nd half was only a minute old when Talbot were given a warning of what was to come. Lyle was caught out by a ball down the left & Higgins was able to make tracks down the left before firing a shot well wide of goal.
Action then switched to the other end where Steven Wilson’s ball down the line found the run of McIlroy. He whipped a good early cross into the goal mouth where Graham Wilson was lurking but the Bankies defended it well.
The game was all square in the 50th minute thanks to a wonder strike. HIGGINS cut in off the left & curled an inch perfect shot into the top left corner giving Leishman no chance.
Talbot tried to respond swiftly & had a golden chance to regain the lead within a minute. Graham Wilson sent Shankland through on the left & he cut inside before trying to slide the ball low past the keeper. Lumsden dived low to block it but it still was floating into the net until a Bankies defender raced back to head it off the line.
This proved a turning point as the Bankies then went down the other end and took the lead. It was a poor goal to lose from a Talbot point of view. DEAS being allowed to gather unchallenged midway inside the Bot half & carry the ball forward before firing a low drive that seemed to head inside the right post in slow motion.
Once again Talbot took the game to the Bankies & went looking for an immediate riposte. Hyslop’s volley from 12 yards flying on target but too near the keeper who was able to parry it away.
Steven Wilson squandered a decent chance in the 59th minute. Shankland did well on the left & pulled it back for Wilson to run onto unchallenged at the edge of the box but he ballooned his shot high over.
It was game over in the 61st minute when Talbot conceded for the 3rd time. Leishman misjudged a ball down the left channel, racing off his line to come for it & HIGGINS took full advantage, lobbing the ball over him & inside the far post.
Tucker made a double substitution in the 67th minute with Glasgow on for Shankland down the left & Faulds replacing White in the centre.
Talbot huffed & puffed in the closing 20 minutes but the damage had already been done & they were unable to find a way back into the match with the Bankies dropping deep to defend their lead.
A sore one to take but onwards and upwards & now Talbot’s focus switches back to the cups as they start a run of 4 consecutive cup ties with the visit of St Roch’s to Beechwood in the West of Scotland.

Clydebank – Lumsden, Vezza, Paterson, Pearson, Darroch, Forsyth, McClair, Deas, Shelvey, Higgins, Cunningham

Subs – Watt, McLean, McAnespie, Morrison

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McPherson, Harvey, S Wilson, Hyslop, White, G Wilson, McIlroy, Shankland

Subs- Glasgow, Armstrong, Thomson, Faulds, McCracken

Read more: http://auchinlecktalbotfc.proboards.com/thread/8030/clydebank-3-talbot-1#ixzz5Az2f1eCG