Hannah Park – Auchinleck Talbot Football Club

KYLE MAKES THE TALBOT FANS SMILE

Report: Murray Steele, Photo’s: Craig McGhee, Media: Ross Newlands.

Talbot’s winning run continued as they leapfrogged Troon into 3^rd place after a hard fought away win over a Shotts side battling for league survival.

The Bot couldn’t have asked for a better start – taking a quick lead in the 4^th minute. The ball broke off Thomson into the path of KYLE MCAVOY who strolled through on goal before slotting it home to put Talbot 1-0 ahead. The home side looked for an immediate response and Richford tried his luck from 20 yards – firing over the bar.

In the 10^th minute Armour was called into action. Gordon’s deflected shot from the edge of the area forced him to turn it wide of the right hand post. When the corner came over Meikle got his head to it but Armour again did well to make the stop and then reacted quickly to deal with a follow-up effort.

The rock hard pitch wasn’t conducive to any kind of football but Talbot put together a slick passing move with quarter of an hour gone. A series of one-twos saw the Bot race up the left and into the penalty area where Nimmo laid it back to Gillies who saw his shot blocked.Three mins later Talbot won a set piece in a promising area after a foul on Nimmo. Gillies took it but lifted it well over the bar. In the 20^th minute Gracie raced down the left and fired a dangerous low ball across the 6-yard area which Schoneville managed to clear.

Talbot’s next attack saw the Bot win a corner down the left. Wardrope delivered a good ball into the goal mouth which was cleared out to Thomson at the edge of the area and he saw his low drive blocked by a defender. Shotts then had an opportunity from a free kick just outside the penalty area. Richford was caught as he went to volley it resulting in a free kick 25 yards out. Richford took it himself and found the target with a low drive that was comfortably dealt with by Armour.

Slack defensive play from Talbot gifted Shotts their next opening. The ball was given away to Sexton out wide on the right. He hit a good early ball across to pick out Gracie in space on the left of the box but he failed to hit the target. In the 29^th minute Talbot came close to doubling their lead. McAvoy won a free kick out by the right corner flag and Gillies curled a great ball across and beyond the far post where Sime headed it back across goal. In a crowded 6-yard box McAvoy hooked it for goal and it came off the base of the left post with the keeper well beaten and Shotts then survived a scramble in the goal mouth.

With 31 mins gone Shotts’ keeper had his name taken for dissent. The home side know how to utilise the long throw and this resulted in their leveller in the 33^rd minute. The ball was hurled into the area from the left and although cleared out it came to Richford who squared it across to GORDON who placed a low drive inside the right post.

Three mins later Shotts passed up a good chance to take the lead. A corner from the right wasn’t dealt with and broke kindly to Duffy who blazed it over from 10 yards. The goal had transformed Shotts and they had another chance to move ahead in the 38^th min. A ball in from the right wasn’t cut out and was allowed to come across to Gracie in space on the left of the area. He fired it low on target where Armour saved with his legs before Wilson cleared it.

Thomson had picked up a knock and had tried to continue but 5 mins from the interval he limped off to be replaced by Mitchell. In first half injury time the hosts had another good chance to take the lead. A long shy from the right was only partially cleared and when it was played across the area it found Richford 10 yards out. He looked favourite but Armour was quickly off his line to narrow the angle and make the block and the teams went in level at the break.

The 2nd half got off to an even start though the first near thing went the way of Shotts. Once again it came from a long throw. When the ball came in from the left Small head flicked it on and it came off Gillies and off the outside of the right post. When the in swinging corner came over Armour managed to tip it away. The Bot’s first meaningful attack of the 2^nd half came in the 54^th minute. Mitchell chipped it down the left to find McAvoy inside the area and he fired it across goal looking for Wardrope but it had too much on it for him.

Moments later Schoneville swung over a good cross from the left and McAvoy was harshly penalised as he challenged for it in the centre. Shotts now made their first change with Evans on for Small. In the 56^th minute Sime whipped over a great low ball off the right which forced Byrne to side-foot it wide of the far post. However, Talbot wasted the subsequent corner.

On the hour mark Gordon received a yellow card when he took one for the team – bringing Wardrope down as he looked to break forward. A minute later Talbot gifted Shotts the lead. Kerr misplaced a pass toward Wardrope allowing Gracie to nick the ball. He raced into the area and played it across to EVANS who tapped it home from a suspiciously offside position but the flag stayed down and Shotts moved ahead.

Talbot had a half chance to level in the 64^th minute. McAvoy raced into the area and had a chance to take it on his left but cut inside onto his right foot and was crowded out. In the 67^th minute Kerr hit a good pass through to Nimmo inside the box but he was beaten to it by Thomson. Talbot were now on the front foot and Boyle saw a decent effort blocked en route to goal.

Shotts now made a double switch with Craig & Anson coming on. Talbot also now made a double change with Nimmo & Boyle making way for McPherson & Boyd. The Talbot changes proved the more decisive of the two and the Bot levelled in the 72^nd minute. Wardrope played it down the right to find Boyd inside the area. He angled a shot across goal past the keeper that came back off the right post and out to KYLE MCAVOY who tucked the rebound away to make it 2-2.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot had a half chance to take the lead. A shy from the right was met by Boyd who played it into Mitchell. He laid it off to Gillies who volleyed over the bar. A minute later Talbot did regain the lead. McAvoy outpaced Meikle down the left before playing it into the path of AUSTIN SIME who passed it into the net to put Talbot 3-2 ahead.

Shotts now made their final changes with Anson & Barnes on for Byrne & Richford. Talbot had a chance to kill the game off in the 80^th minute. Wardrope moved down the right before releasing Kerr on the overlap. He swung a cross into the near post where McAvoy met it but sent his header wide of the left post.

In the 83^rd minute McAvoy fed it to Boyd who appeared to be being held by Craig. He managed to wriggle free and went for goal from 20 yards – sending a low shot wide of the right post. Talbot now made their final change as Wardrope left the field injured to be replaced by Langan. Langan was involved soon after coming on as he went for goal from 20 yards and saw his shot deflected for a corner. When Mitchell’s corner came in from the right Sime met it and his head flick was heading in until cleared off the line by Meikle inside his right hand post.

With 3 mins to go McAvoy lifted the ball across to find Mitchell inside the area. He cut inside and hit and fired a shot on target but it flew straight at Thomson. As the game moved into added time there was enough time for a chance at either end. Firstly Schoneville broke forward and found McAvoy inside the box and his drive was well saved by Thomson.

In the dying seconds Shotts had a chance to snatch a point when a ball over the top found Evans free down the left of the area. He tried to place it into the far corner but Armour made a crucial save getting a hand to it to turn it wide of his left post and there was barely enough time for the corner to come over before the final whistle blew.

Another good win on the road for a makeshift Talbot line-up. The Bot are back in action this Saturday when they face St Cadocs at Beechwood.

Shotts Bon Accord – Thomson, Torrance, Byrne, Eley, Meikle, Gordon, Sexton, Duffy, Small, Richford, Gracie. Subs – Craig, Evans, Macdonald Mulvanney, Anson, Barnes (gk)

Auchinleck Talbot – Armour, Kerr, Schoneville, Wilson, Sime, Boyle, Gillies, Wardrope, McAvoy, Nimmo, Thomson. Subs – Boyd, Mitchell, Langan, McPherson, Clark

MURRAYS REPORT

Talbot dug deep to earn themselves a place in the semi-finals of the Scottish coming from a goal down to beat Shotts at Hannah Park.

The hosts took the game to Talbot aided by a stiff gale at their back that left Talbot struggling early on.

Talbot couldn’t really get out the bit in the opening exchanges and Ritchford’s long throw ins were causing the Bot defence problems.

Having weathered the early onslaught Talbot fell behind in the 12^th minute to a frankly ludicrous penalty decision. A corner was swept over from the left that Leishman gathered under pressure. He then got into a tangle with Ritchford as he got to his feet and to the amazement of all & sundry the ref booked Leishman and gave Shotts a penalty which MARTIN tucked away.

The home dug out thought they’d doubled their lead in the 19^th minute when one of Ritchford’s hurled throw-ins was nodded into the path of Burns at the back post but he’d wandered offside and the goal didn’t stand.

Shotts continued to press and ought to have moved two ahead in the 22^nd minute. Talbot conceded a corner down the left and Watt’s delivery found McGeough free at the back post but he headed over from a good position.

Gradually Talbot began to find their feet on the gluey surface and came close in the 24^th minute when Healy’s ball in from the right broke out to Boyd who steered a shot just wide of the right hand post from the edge of the area.

Shotts most effective weapon was Ritchford’s shies and he caused Leishman an uncomfortable moment on the half hour mark when the Bot keeper came to punch one clear only to flap it behind for a corner.

A minute later Talbot passed up a good chance to level. Glasgow laid the ball off to Graham Wilson who returned it 1^st time to send Glasgow racing clear of the defence. He continued to the edge of the area before lifting a shot over the advancing keeper but it sailed just over the crossbar.

McGeough had his name taken in the 36^th minute for preventing Talbot from taking a quick shy.

Five minutes before the interval Talbot drew level. The Shotts defence failed to clear a ball in from the left and BRYAN BOYLAN crashed a shot home from 10 yards out to make it 1-1.

Talbot could have went in a goal ahead at the interval as they twice came close in 1^st half injury time. Aiden Wilson won a corner down the left that Glasgow took and his cross was met by McCracken whose header had the keeper beaten but was headed off the line by a defender. Talbot kept the pressure on & Glasgow burst into the box down the left edge before firing a shot just over the bar in the closing action of the 1^st half.

Talbot had the wind at their backs in the 2^nd half and it was the home side’s turn to be pushed back.

Three minutes into the 2^nd period Sutherland picked up a yellow card for a late lunge on Glasgow.

Just as Shotts had done in the early stages Talbot won a series of corners but had nothing to show for it. In the 52^nd minute Glasgow’s corner from the left was fumbled by Murdoch as he went for it but no one was close enough to take advantage.

In the 53^rd minute Armstrong won the ball inside the Shotts half and played it early up toward the area where Crawford handled it to prevent Talbot getting in behind. He was cautioned but Talbot didn’t make the most of the set piece with Glasgow firing well over the bar from 20 yards out.

Shotts now made a change with Cassells coming on for Watt.

Talbot were turning up the pressure and nearly went in front in the 57^th minute. Glasgow got to the bye line down the left and his pull back was met by Graham Wilson whose shot was deflected behind for a corner. When the corner came over McCracken met it only to see his header come back off the crossbar. Talbot kept the pressure on and moments later McCracken had another chance when a cross from the left found him in space at the back post but this time he didn’t make a clean contact allowing Murdoch to make the save.

Armstrong had his name taken in the 59^th minute for a challenge on half-way.

Shotts hadn’t offered much since the interval but did go on the attack in the 63^rd minute. Cassells won a free kick just wide of the penalty area which he lifted beyond the far post. Crawford retrieved it and cut it back to the edge of the area where Cassells directed a low drive straight at Leishman.

Andy then launched it quickly down field where Boylan looked to be fouled by Sutherland as he raced to get on the end of it but the referee waved play on.

The Bot struck the woodwork for the 2^nd time in the match in the 67^th minute. Glasgow’s free kick from the left was met by McCracken who steered a header off the base of the post with the keeper beaten.

Shotts now made a 2^nd change with Chalmers coming on in place of McGeough.

In the 70^th minute Shotts were reduced to 10 men. A ball over the top caught the defence out allowing Boylan to race in on goal. Murdoch came racing out of his area and when Boylan clipped a shot at goal the keeper batted it away. The linesman’s flag went up immediately and after consulting with him the ref produced a red card to the keeper for handling the ball outside the area and awarded Talbot the free kick in the dee. Shotts now had to sacrifice Murdoch to bring on their substitute goalie Cameron and his first job was to pick the ball out of the back of his net.

Graham Wilson took the free kick and his shot clipped the top of the wall and spun high into the air. With the defence frozen the only one to react was CRAIG MCCRACKEN who prodded it home from close range to make it 2-1.

Tucker now made a double switch with Graham Wilson & Glasgow making way for Samson & Mason.

The two subs combined together in the 80^th minute when Samson released Mason down the right and his low ball back across the face of goal was bundled just wide of his own goal by Evans. The referee then booked Muir for a foul committed on Samson in the build-up.

Talbot had a chance to kill the tie off in the 82^nd minute. Cameron’s weak goal kick was intercepted by Boylan and fed to Samson on the right of the area but he fired it straight at the keeper.

Cassells became the latest Shotts player booked when he received a yellow card in the 83^rd minute for a late challenge on Stafford.

With 5 minutes remaining Shotts had a chance to level. Cassells won a free kick out on the left which he delivered into the centre where Faulds sent a free header over the bar.

Three minutes from time McCracken received a caution for a challenge just inside the Bot half.

It should have been game over in the closing minutes when Talbot passed up two good chances in quick succession. Samson got free on the right and swept it across goal where Boylan met it 6 yards out but his shot was blocked by the keeper. The rebound came to Mason a few yards out but with the goal gaping he fired wide of the far post.

This could have proved costly as deep into injury time Talbot conceded a cheap corner down the left and when it came over Faulds met it but glanced it well wide of target.

Soon after the final whistle blew with Talbot through to the last 4 where they will face Rob Roy. Next up for Talbot it’s back to league duty when they host Kilwinning on Wednesday night.

Shotts Bon Accord – Murdoch, Sutherland, Muir, Crawford, Faulds, Martin, Evans, McGeough, Burns, Ritchford, Watt

Subs – Cassells, Kindlan, Chalmers, Meikle, Cameron

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, Armstrong, Boyd, Healy, Boylan, Graham Wilson, Glasgow

Subs – Samson, Mason, Hyslop, Robbie McCracken, McDowall, White, Hewitt