Venue: Beechwood Park

MURRAY’S MATCH REPORT

Talbot moved joint top of the league table after this hard fought win over Largs – in the first match to be played under floodlights at Beechwood.

The Talbot line-up had a slightly unfamiliar look to it with Armstrong partnering McPherson at the back in the absence of Craig McCracken.

It was the visitors who settled first and they squandered a decent chance early on. A Largs free kick was flicked on into the path of William Sewell sending him through on the out-rushing Leishman. He lifted it round Leishman but McPherson recovered to get back & make the clearance.

Largs had another chance in the 5^th minute when a ball down the right found William Sewell & he drilled a low shot that Leishman held at his near post.

Talbot’s first real threat came after 10 minutes. Leishman found Shankland on the right & he released McCracken down the wing. He whipped a great low ball across goal between the defence & keeper but there was no one there to tap it in.

Shankland came close to opening the scoring in the 14^th minute. McPherson flighted a free kick out to the left where Graham Wilson headed it down to Boylan. He teed it up for Shankland & McGowan did well to tip his shot over the bar.

The keeper did well again moments later when he punched Shankland’s corner clear just before Graham Wilson could get on the end of it.

The Bot were having a good spell and Graham Wilson came close after 17 minutes when he gathered outside the box and sent a left foot shot just wide of McGowan’s right post.

Talbot’s next attack saw the Bot countering through Shankland whose diagonal pass found Boylan racing clear on the left. He cut into the heart of the penalty area but didn’t catch his shot cleanly from 12 yards and it ended up a comfortable save for McGowan.

Largs keeper was having a good night and he was quickly off his line to thwart Talbot’s next move. Armstrong’s diagonal ball out of defence arrowed towards Boylan as he raced in behind the defence but McGowan read it & just got there first to punch the ball to safety.

Thistle had a half chance in the 26^th minute from a corner. George Sewell got his head to it but he was coming away from goal & sent his header well over.

With half an hour gone Talbot again tested the visiting keeper. Leishman launched it up field where Graham Wilson rose to challenge for it. The ball broke into the path of Shankland 20 yards out & he forced a good stop from McGowan who dived to turn his shot round his right post. Once again Shankland whipped a dangerous corner into the goalmouth but McGowan was again equal to the challenge & punched clear under pressure.

Talbot’s next opportunity came from a corner. Armstrong meeting Shankland’s corner at the near post where he glanced it narrowly over the bar.

Boylan was next to test the keeper when he raced onto Graham Wilson’s header down the right side of the penalty area & hit it 1^st time only to see McGowan parry it away.

Largs forward William Sewell got a sore one in the 34^th minute when he closed down Leishman as he went to make a clearance & caught the clearance full on the face but he was able to continue after receiving treatment.

McGowan was having a good night & it was going to take something special to break the deadlock and Shankland duly supplied it a minute before the interval. MARK SHANKLAND latched onto a loose ball 25 yards out and sent a screamer flying into McGowan’s top left hand corner to send Talbot in 1-0 ahead at the break.

Talbot started the 2^nd half quite lively and won a free kick just outside the penalty area when Aiden Wilson’s pass found Graham Wilson down the left & he was bowled over by Love. Shankland took it & crossed it over beyond the back post but got too much on it & it went for the goal kick.

In the 52^nd minute Shankland hit a superbly weighted cross field pass to pick out Boylan down the right. He raced into the penalty area and had Graham Wilson waiting in front of goal but he didn’t get his final ball right allowing the keeper to smother it at his near post.

A few minutes later Healy played the ball up the left channel to Boylan who laid it inside first time for the run of Shankland but George Sewell beat him to it to fire it behind for the corner.

Around the hour mark William Sewell won Largs a corner down the right. Before it could be taken Talbot made a substitution with McDowall coming on for McCracken. When the corner came over KEIR MILLIKEN got on the end of it to head towards goal. Leishman saved it and Milliken followed up to stab the rebound for goal. Healy appeared to clear it off the goal line but after a short delay the stand side assistant signalled it had crossed the line and the ref awarded the goal.

Healy had his name taken in the 66^th minute for a late challenge.

The loss of the goal had unsettled Talbot and McBryde was allowed plenty of time & space in the 68^th minute to pick out his cross; forcing Leishman to come out and punch clear.

The referee was turning card happy and booked Graham Wilson in the 70^th minute for an innocuous aerial challenge.

Tucker now made a double substitution with Boylan & Boyd making way for Glasgow & Samson.

Talbot regained the lead in the 76^th minute. Love made a mess of a clearance, hitting it straight at Shankland, and fortunately for Talbot the ball broke straight to the feet of KIER SAMSON who slotted it past the keeper.

The Bot were then guilty of sloppy play a minute after scoring. Glasgow lost the ball 25 yards out and Ballantyne fired just wide of the right hand post.

Largs now made a double switch with McBryde & McMaster making way for McGinty & Adam.

In the 82^nd minute Talbot had a wobbly moment when defending a Largs free kick from wide. It went beyond the back post where Adam steered it back toward goal and Leishman blocked & cleared before Sewell could get to it.

Ballantyne then picked up a caution for a foul on Graham Wilson.

Graham Wilson was unlucky with 5 minutes remaining when he met it on the volley. His effort was heading on target but was deflected wide and two minutes later he came close again when he darted in off the right & sent a left foot shot narrowly wide of McGowan’s left post.

With 2 minutes remaining Talbot threatened again; this time via Samson, who sped clear on the right before firing it across the face of goal where Ballantyne deflected it behind.

In the final minute, Armstrong received a yellow card for a professional foul. The free kick was lobbed up the centre where Leishman rushed out to punch clear. It came to Adam outside the area but he was closed down before he could hit it.

As the game moved into injury time Talbot found themselves a man down. Glasgow caught George Sewell late with a mistimed challenge. A booking would have sufficed but the ref produced a straight red and also managed to book Shankland for dissent. It was too late though for Largs to take advantage of the extra man and Talbot held out for the win.

Next up for Talbot are new opponents as the Bot travel to Kilmarnock to face Bonnyton in the league.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Armstrong, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Robbie McCracken, Boyd, Healy, Graham Wilson, Shankland, Boylan

Subs – Glasgow, Samson, Mason, McDowall, Pope, White, Hewitt (gk)

Largs Thistle – McGowan, George Sewell, Ballantyne, Hughes, Love, Faulds, Docherty, McBryde, Milliken, William Sewell, McMaster

Subs – Adam, McGinty, McPhee, Lindsay, Farrell (gk)

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS REPORT

Talbot made it four league wins in a row as they saw off Blantyre Vics at Beechwood.

The Bot started strongly and came close to opening the scoring in the 3^rd minute. Kerr caught White just outside the penalty area and Samson’s free kick flew just past Currie’s right hand post.

Six minutes in and a defensive blunder handed Talbot a chance from the penalty spot. Currie bowled the ball out to Marshall inside his own penalty area. Boylan read it, closed him down & dispossessed him resulting in Marshall up-ending Talbot’s striker. Samson took the spot kick but his shot clipped the top of the bar on its way over.

How Talbot failed to score in the 9^th minute is a mystery. Aiden Wilson & McCracken worked a one-two down the left which ended with Wilson flighting a cross into the back post. It broke to Glasgow inside the 6-yard area but despite several attempts he couldn’t force it home & when the ball broke to Samson his shot was also blocked inside the goal mouth.

Blantyre’s first glimpse at goal came in the 12^th minute. Wilson misjudged a diagonal ball & ended up controlling it with his arm. The ball broke to McKenzie on the right of the area & the ref allowed the advantage & his low drive was held by Leishman.

Talbot’s opener came in the 14^th minute. Lyle played it into the feet of Healy & he sent it out to the right wing where Boylan raced clear. He played it across the 6-yard area where KIER SAMSON slid in to meet it & although his effort hit Currie it spun inside the right post to put Talbot 1 ahead.

The visitors came close to levelling matters in the 17^th minute. MacDonald’s shot from 15 yards was heading into the bottom corner til Leishman dived to his right to touch it away. It came out to Eeles but his follow up was blocked.

At the other end, Talbot nearly doubled their lead when Samson raced onto Glasgow’s ball down the left & rolled it inside where White flicked it up before half volleying it just over the crossbar from 20 yards out.

Talbot squandered a decent opportunity in the 25^th minute when Armstrong’s slide rule pass opened up the Vics defence. Boylan squared it across the area where Samson & Glasgow seemed to get in each other’s way & in the end neither could get a shot away.

The Bot’s next attack saw Glasgow feed it out Boylan on the wing & he cut in off the right & drilled a fierce shot on target which Currie held.

It was looking comfortable for Talbot at this stage, with the Bot doing most of the pressing, but having little to show for it other than a series of corners which came to nought.

A single goal lead is always precarious and Vics grabbed a spectacular equaliser two minutes from the interval. Blantyre were awarded a free kick in their own half on the stand side which was flighted into the penalty area. It was headed clear and there didn’t appear to be any imminent danger when it fell to MCKENZIE 20 yards out with his back to goal but he controlled it on his chest & turned to hook a volley that dipped into the top right corner to make it 1-1 at the interval.

The half-time break worked in Talbot’s favour and the Bot regained the lead early in the 2^nd half. In the 53^rd minute Eeles impeded Armstrong & the ref awarded Talbot a free kick 25 yards out. Talbot took it quickly to release Glasgow & when he squared it across the box STEVEN WHITE ran onto it & fired a low drive through a ruck of players that beat Currie with the aid of a slight deflection.

The visitors were caught out again in the 59^th minute by a quick free kick which sent Glasgow free on the right. Currie got down to cut out his low ball across the face of goal but couldn’t hold it & and a defender had to complete the clearance.

With 61 minutes gone Talbot moved further ahead. There seemed no danger as the ball was aimed up the left but Blantyre’s defender tried to head it back towards his keeper & BRYAN BOYLAN pounced on the weak header, shrugging off a challenge before drilling it through the advancing Currie to make it 3-1.

In the 64^th minute Blantyre won a free kick 30 yards out after Samson shoved MacDonald. McKenzie got it up and over the wall but Leishman got down low to his right to hold it.

The visitors made a double switch in the 67^th minute with Cunningham & Kearney coming on for McKenzie & McDonald just before facing a Talbot corner. When Glasgow’s corner came over from the right McCracken powered a header on target that Currie gathered at the 2^nd attempt.

With 20 mins remaining Talbot made a double switch with Mason & Shankland replacing Healy & Boylan.

Glasgow had a good chance to extend Talbot’s lead in the 72^nd minute. Samson won a header that sent him clean through on goal but Currie got the slightest of touches to his effort to send it wide of his left post.

Both sides now made their final changes with O’Donnell on for Eeles for the visitors and Shankland coming on for Samson.

Twelve minutes from time Blantyre launched a quick counter-attack following a Talbot corner. Currie unconvincingly flapped the corner away but Vics then quickly switched it up to Brennan who shifted it wide left to Kearney whose low drive across goal went a foot or so wide of the far post.

Six minutes from time Shankland had his name taken after wrestling with a Blantyre player following a short corner that had went wrong.

Five minutes from time Cunningham had a decent effort for the Vics from 25 yards when he turned and fired wide of the left post and that was it as far as chances went with Talbot seeing out the closing minutes to secure the win.

Another 3 points in the bag and next up for the Bot is the midweek visit of Largs.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, White, Healy, Armstrong, Glasgow, Boylan, Samson

Subs – Mason, McDowall, Shankland, Graham Wilson, Robbie McCracken, Boyd, Hewitt

Blantyre Victoria – Currie, Jones, Allan, Marshall, Kerr, Boyle, McKenzie, Archer, MacDonald, Brennan, Eeles

Subs – Hughes, Cunningham, Gibson, O’Donnell, Kearney

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

This was the proverbial game of two halves with Talbot failing to show up for the 1^st 45 but turning the game around with a much improved 2^nd half display.

The warning signs were there early on when the visitors threatened the Talbot goal in the 3^rd minute. A free kick was awarded for a foul on McLevy which Gallagher swept into the area. Jamieson flicked it on but there were no takers at the back post.

Troon took the lead in the 5^th minute. Frizzell flicked the ball into the path of JAMIESON and with the Bot defence looking for an offside flag that never came he raced in on goal before slipping the ball underneath the advancing Leishman.

Glasgow tried to respond for Talbot & jinked his way through the left of the Troon penalty area but could only fire well wide from a tight angle.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead in the 19^th minute. Frizzell got in behind down the right & whipped a dangerous ball across the face of goal which just eluded Jamieson in front of goal.

Talbot huffed & puffed but weren’t making much headway. It took until the 38^th minute before there was any kind of threat offered in the final third. Boylan did well to burst to the bye line and cut the ball back towards Glasgow but he was well challenged at the near post & it ran behind for a corner.

Ben Black picked up a caution in the 41^st minute for Troon when he clipped Graham Wilson’s heels as he ran forward and that was it as far as the first half went.

From the outset of the 2^nd half it was apparent Talbot had stepped up several gears. Within a minute of the restart Glasgow slung a cross over from the left that was headed out straight to McDowall who volleyed wide of goal from 15 yards.

A minute later Healy swept a dangerous cross over from the left that Lyle just failed to connect with at the back post.

It was no real surprise then when Talbot levelled in the 49^th minute. Glasgow raced away into space before releasing the ball out to Boylan on the right. He cut into the penalty area & drilled a low shot across goal that MCCLOSKEY bundled into his own net from close range whilst trying to clear it.

Troon were rattled and their defence looked nervy in the 53^rd minute when Boylan’s cross into the area was shanked into the air by McCloskey. The ball spun out to Aiden Wilson whose cross into the goal mouth was unconvincingly flapped away by Fisher.

The momentum had been with Talbot but the Bot gifted Troon a half chance in the 56^th minute. A ball up the right was headed into the air by Aiden Wilson & both McPherson & McCracken went to clear it. They collided with one another & the ball broke to Frizzell 20 yards out but his shot went straight at Leishman.

The Bot defence were called into action again a minute later when Troon were awarded a free kick out on the right touchline.  The free kick was fired beyond the far post towards McLevy but his header was blocked behind by Lyle.

Talbot made a double switch in the 59^th minute with Glasgow & Graham Wilson making way for Shankland & Samson. Keir was involved immediately – racing into the penalty area & seeing his ball across goal put behind for a corner. When the corner came over McCracken rose to head it toward goal where it was scrambled clear by the defence.

Troon now made their 1^st change with Josh Black on in place of Ben Black.

In the 67^th minute Maitland did well to prevent Talbot taking the lead. Shankland gathered on the left & fired it low across goal towards Samson who was poised to tap it home until Maitland intercepted & put it behind.

Talbot’s next attack saw Samson meet a cross from the left. He was coming away from goal as he met it & sent his header over the bar from 6 yards out.

Tucker now made a further change with McDowall making way for the trialist.

Troon had been guilty all afternoon of making mountains out of molehills at any hint of contact & eventually the ref’s patience wore thin & he had words with Fulton after a particularly histrionic outburst.

In the 72^nd minute Troon brought on Nisbet in place of the tiring Jamieson.

Talbot took the lead in the 73^rd minute. Aiden Wilson laid the ball back to Shankland & his cross was met at the back post by the trialist who steered it back across goal where KEIR SAMSON nodded home from close range.

With 11 minutes remaining Talbot won a free kick 35 yards out after Armstrong was tripped. Shankland fired it over the wall but wide of Fisher’s left hand post.

Troon now made a further change with Lusk coming on for Frizzell.

Another goal would have sealed it and Talbot came close in the 83^rd minute. McCracken flighted it up the right where Boylan nodded it inside to Samson. He squared it across to Shankland & his effort from 20 yards flew just past the left hand upright.

With five minutes remaining Talbot threatened again. Samson beat Troon’s offside trap to speed clear on the right and his cross just cleared the head of the trialist in front of goal before Maitland swept it behind for the corner. Shankland produced a great delivery from the corner & Fisher did well to turn McCracken’s powerful header over the bar.

Troon hadn’t offered much going forward in the 2^nd half but they gave Talbot a late scare with 2 minutes remaining. Josh Black showed good pace to get away wide on the left & he drilled it low across the penalty area where it hit off Nisbet 8 yards out rather than him hitting it & the ball went straight at Leishman.

A Jekyll and Hyde performance from Talbot who were as dominant in the 2^nd half as they had been anonymous in the first. Next up for Talbot is a midweek trip to Valefield where they face Kilbirnie Ladeside.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, Armstrong, Healy, McDowall, Graham Wilson, Glasgow, Boylan

Subs – Samson, Shankland, Trialist, Robbie McCracken, White, Boyd, Hewitt

Troon – Fisher, McLevy, McCloskey, Maitland, Miller, Gallagher, Ben Black, Montgomerie, Frizzell, Fulton, Jamieson

Subs – Galloway, Nisbet, McDowall, Burns, Josh Black, Lusk, Fraser (gk

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MATCH REPORT MURRAY STEELE

Talbot kicked off their league campaign with a hard fought draw against Clydebank at a sun drenched Beechwood park.

The visitors settled the quicker of the two sides and managed to force a couple of early corners without offering any threat to Leishman’s goal.

Talbot’s defence were struggling to cope with the breeze and this almost proved costly in the 6^th minute. Donnelly’s long punt down the centre deceived McPherson as it glanced off the top of his head. The ball spun out to Lynass on the right & he hooked a cross come shot in from a tight angle that sped across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

Lynass had another chance a minute later when the Bankies were awarded a free kick 25 yards out but he drilled his shot straight into the wall.

In the 9^th minute Armstrong won the ball in the centre before releasing Boylan down the left. He burst down the wing but was halted by a well-timed tackle from Darroch.

Talbot had a chance to test the Bankies defence in the 16^th minute when they won a free kick following a nudge on Armstrong. Shankland pinged a good ball into the box which Darroch headed clear. His header came out to Boylan on the left of the area but he was stretching as he hit it and could only fire it wide of target.

Two minutes later another Talbot set piece saw Shankland float a free kick over the defence to find the run of Robbie McCracken but it was just too far in front of him & ran out for the goal kick.

The visitors took the lead in the 19^th minute. Talbot lost the ball deep in the Bankies half and Clydebank quickly counter-attacked, switching the ball out to Lynass on the right touchline. He angled it across the area towards Little & MCPHERSON steered it into his own net whilst trying to put it behind for the corner.

Whilst there was plenty of effort from both sides there was a shortage of goal mouth action for the remainder of the 1^st half. Talbot’s closest call coming on the half hour mark when Shankland found Robbie McCracken at the edge of the area and his bobbling shot had to be turned round the right hand post by Donnelly.

Down the other end Gallagher tested Leishman when he cut in off the right and fired a shot for the near post that Leishman turned behind but that was about it as far as chances went and the Bankies saw it out to half-time.

Talbot needed a spark from somewhere and it duly came in the 52^nd minute when the Bot drew level. A ball up the right saw Darroch head it clear but only to the edge of his own penalty area. Black dawdled on the ball as he got it stuck between his feet & KIERAN HEALY dispossessed him before waltzing around Niven & bending a low shot inside Donnelly’s left hand post.

In the 58^th minute Talbot took the lead. Armstrong headed the ball on in midfield & Boylan flicked it on into the path of KEIR SAMSON who paced clear on the right before drilling a shot across the keeper and into the far corner.

Unfortunately, Talbot’s lead proved to be short lived and Clydebank levelled matters in the 61^st minute. Little switched a pass out to the left to find Byrne 30 yards out & he hit an early cross over that caught the Bot defence sleeping with CHRIS BLACK meeting it 8 yards out to direct a free header beyond Leishman.

Talbot looked for an immediate response and Boylan’s lay off saw Samson speeding clear on the right til he was taken out by Byrne who was cautioned. Shankland whipped the free kick into the centre where Donnelly came off his line to punch clear.

Both sides now made their 1^st changes with McPherson coming on for Mulcahy for the visitors and McDowall on for Robbie McCracken for Talbot.

In the 71^st minute Shankland squared the ball to Lyle whose pass sent Boylan scurrying down the right. He crossed it into the centre where Samson’s attempted overhead kick was blocked behind off a defender. Shankland took the resultant corner & his delivery had the Bankies at full stretch to head it clear at the back post. The ball came out to Boylan 15 yards out but he didn’t catch his shot cleanly & it was blocked.

Two minutes later Shankland swung a cross over from the right that Donnelly came to collect but missed but there was no Bot player beyond the back post and it sailed out for a goal kick.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot made a further change with Glasgow on in place of Boylan.

Twelve minutes from time Talbot very nearly regained the lead twice in quick succession. Firstly Samson’s shy from the right cannoned off a defender’s head and looped up and over Donnelly only for it to come back off the face of the crossbar. When it bounced out it fell to Shankland whose low drive was cleared off the line.

It was then Talbot’s turn to endure a nervy moment. The Bot conceded a free kick out wide on the right which was delivered beyond the far post where Niven just failed to connect with it.

With 5 minutes remaining Talbot made their final change with Mason coming on for Samson.

Talbot’s next attack saw Glasgow rob Black of the ball but before he could get going Black sent him tumbling; receiving a yellow card for his troubles.

Two minutes from time McDowall headed the ball on into the path of Mason who charged down the right & fired it across the face of goal but there were no takers in the centre.

Deep into injury time the officials angered the home support when the ref initially awarded a throw in to Talbot only to change his mind & award Clydebank a free kick out on the touchline after consulting his assistant. This was particularly galling as the ref had pointedly over ruled both of his assistants on previous occasions. Clydebank fired the free kick into the centre where Leishman safely gathered it and soon after the whistle blew with honours even.

Next up for Talbot it is a midweek visit to Cumbernauld to face Rob Roy.

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, A Wilson, McPherson, C McCracken, Healy, Samson, Armstrong, Boylan, Shankland, R McCracken

Subs – Glasgow, McDowall, Mason, S Wilson, G Wilson, Boyd, Hewitt

Clydebank – Donnelly, Green, Niven, Darroch, Byrne, Johnstone, Lynass, Black, Mulcahy, Little, Gallagher

Subs – Stevenson, McClair, McLean, McHugh, Holmes, McGonigle, McPherson