Season: 2019/20

TALBOT: Leishman, Young(Lyle 55) Wilson, Pope, White, Armstrong(Pearson 45), Healey(S.Wilson 45), McDowall(Samson 45), Kemp(Glasgow 45), Boylan(Shankland 45), McKinlay

Talbot won the the Hugh Blair trophy after a hard match at the Brig O’ Lea Stadium against Championship side Neilston Juniors. The day had a carnival feel about it with the Talbot Academy providing several teams to take on the locals before the main event. Talbot were without the injured Craig McCracken and Dwayne Hyslop while Neil McPherson was still on holiday. Gordon Pope and Steven Wilson filled in at the centre of the defence while two trialists Young and Wilson filled in at right and left back. New signings Bryan Boylan and Kieran Healy were introduced for the first half while Corey Pearson was on the bench. Talbot also had trialist Hamish Mckinlay on the wing.

It took until the 15th minute before a chance was carved out when Calvin Kemp set up Jack McDowall who blazed a shot over the bar from outside the box. Ten minutes later it looked as if Talbot were one up when a long ball over the defence was picked up by Kemp but his delicate lob was tipped away by the young keeper who was actually the son of Talbot legend Alan Pirie. From the resulting Healey corner Young headed the ball downward but it was cleared off the line by McKinnon. Minutes later Boylan squandered a good chance when he headed a Wilson cross well over the bar. The game was all Talbot as the first half came to a close with McKinlay and Boylan just putting shots just past the home goalposts.

There was a flurry of substitutions at half time and it was one of them Mark Shankland who nearly netted in the opening minute but his shot was cleared off the line. McKinlay was unlucky not to open the scoring on the 6th minute while Haddow nearly put the ball into his own net. The pressure by Talbot was immense and Glasgow had the ball into the net on the 65th minute but it was ruled offside. Five minutes later Talbot were given a wake up call when a clearance upfield caught out the Talbot defence where Ashe found himself through on goal but Andy Leishman who had been a spectator for most of the game blocked his shot before pouncing on the loose ball.

On the 75th minute Talbot were ahead when Pope sprayed a perfect long pass out to the wing where Glasgow whipped a superb ball right onto the head of KEIR SAMSON who gave Pirie no chance from six yards. It took a further three minutes for Talbot to double their lead when a wicked Shankland corner found the head of the trialist WILSON who headed home. With six minutes remaining Glasgow forced Pirie into making a superb save and shortly after Samson glided past the home defence, rounded the keeper but his shot on goal from an acute angle came off the post into the path of Pearson who blasted the ball over from just inside the box.

A good hard workout for the lads against a tough workmanlike Neilston side.