Keanie Park – Auchinleck Talbot Football Club

TALBOT BURY THE BURGH IN CUP BATTLE.

Report: Jim McAuley, Photo’s Craig McGhee, Media: Ross Newlands.

TALBOT: Armour, Clark, Schoneville, McPherson, Wilson, Sime, Wardrope, Gillies, Boyd, McAvoy, Thomson, SUBS: Abed, Nimmo, Slooves, Hanlon, Langan.

JOHNSTONE BURGH: Scullion, Mullen, Kilday, Eadie, O’Neill, Esplin, Christie, Davidson, Mason, Dorrans, Kerr. SUBS: Cook, Law, G.McCann, McDonald, Menzies, McCrystal, Stewart.

was definitely a rip roaring cup tie with five goals, a missed penalty and a clutch of bookings which kept the Keanie Park crowd on their toes throughout the ninety minutes. It was a match where the passing football of the home team came up against a Talbot side that showed grit and determination which eventually paid dividends with a place in the last eight of the competition.

Talbot were to show that they meant business early in the game when in only seven minutes they were ahead thanks to a bit of craftiness from Mick Wardrope. The goal started from a Clark throw in which McAVOY let run past his body before hitting what could be construed to be a poor shot. The ball skipped towards Wardrope who instead of putting the laces through it he let the ball run through his legs and into the net with the Burgh keeper heading the wrong way.

Four minutes later McAvoy was again in the thick of the action when he broke down the right wing, hit the bye-line an drove the ball right across the face of Scullion’s goal but sadly there was no takers. Things were getting a bit heated in the middle of the park and Sime received the first booking for a clumsy tackle on Kerr and minutes later Clark followed him into the book for what was nothing more than a foul at the least. Not to be outdone Mullen the Burgh right back was carded for a crude foul on Thomson.

Talbot carved another chance on twenty six minutes when Gillies cut the ball across goals but once again there were no takers. Gillies was in the thick of the action minutes later when he looked to have carved a scoring opportunity but referee Hay deemed he was offside.

Going into the last five minutes the game really livened up when a Wardrope, McAvoy combination was halted when Thomson couldn’t latch on to the resulting cross.

Minutes before half time,Talbot doubled their lead when a Thomson cross was headed away by the home defence where it fell to the feet of SIME who stroked the ball through a forest of legs from twenty yards out which flew low past Scullion and into the net.

All Talbot needed to do was hang on for the last few minutes till half time but it was to no avail was Eadie motored up the wing and hit a cross that dropped over Wilson and as it bounced up from the grass KERR was there to nod the loose ball past Armour.

The second period started like the first when Schoneville rolled the ball to the edge of the six yard line where Thomson poked the chance just past the post. A few minutes later Talbot should have been out of sight when Boyd won a penalty after being pulled down inside the box. Mick Wardrope claimed the spot kick but fired so far over the bar that it must have been encroaching the flight path into Glasgow airport.

This let off seemed to encourage the home side and in fifty four minutes Dorrans flashed a superb effort just past Armours post. The Burgh seemed to dominate proceedings for a good portion of the second half with Talbot sitting back and hitting on the break. McAvoy went into the book on the hour mark for a trip. On the sixty ninth minute Talbot fashioned a break down the left where Sconeville’s cross was a bit too high for McAvoy who although unmarked could only head harmlessly into Scullion’s arms. Minutes later Langan replaced Sime, but he was no sooner on the park that the Burgh struck with Cook heading a Dorran’s chip off the bar where the loose ball fell to Christie six yards out but he slashed his shot well over the bar.

Talbot were quick to cash in on their let-off and McAvoy pulled off a superb chip into the box which was pounced upon by Boyd but Scullion somehow managed to block his shot and then dive on the rebound.

Talbot replaced Thomson with Abed, and minutes later Gillies outwitted the home defence by heading the ball into space but as he went into attack mode he was too heavy with his first touch which gave Scullion time to smother the danger.

With time running out for Burgh, Mason was booked and worst was to follow when on the eighty seventh minute a superb cross by Abed was headed by McAvoy which came off a defender into the path of BOYD who smashed the ball into the net to restore Talbot’s two goal lead.

As the game neared the final few minutes Nimmo replaced Boyd, but it was the home side had the last say when a speculative cross was launched into the box and as McCyrstal tried to bring the ball down he actually teed up a chance for MASON who dispatched his shot well out of reach of Armour.

It was too little too late for the Burgh and when the whistle was blown there was jubilation for the decent sized travelling support who made the jaunt up the Keanie Park. It was a gutsy performance for Talbot who took their chances well and could have added a few more, however the two goals they conceded were poor, so hopefully they get looked into.

TALBOT MAKE THEIR POINT.

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

It was honours even as Talbot left Keanie Park with a point following a keenly contested 1-1 draw at Johnstone.

The Bot nearly made a dream start within the opening minute. Slack defending by Burgh saw Smith pounce on the ball on the left of the penalty area and he turned inside & went for goal only to see Scullion push his shot wide for the corner.

Talbot’s bright start continued in the 5th minute. Wilson lifted the ball downfield to find Boyd down the left and he cut inside before drilling a low strike wide of target.

Burgh’s first threat of the evening came after 8 minutes when a dangerous cross from the left had to be headed behind at the far post with Moore lurking.

In the 13th minute Moore, who looked offside, got in behind the Bot defence down the left but a recovery tackle saw it swept behind for the corner and when it came over Armour took it confidently.

Two minutes later Talbot countered at pace through Abed. He intercepted a pass before haring deep into the Burgh half and squaring it for Smith whose low drive was held by the keeper.

Nineteen minutes gone and the home side won a corner down the left through Rossiter. When it came over O’Neill won the header on and it came to Moore who who prodded a low strike across goal and well wide of the far post.

A minute later Moore came much closer when he stepped in off the left wing & fired a shot just wide of the left hand post.

Mullen became the first name in the book when he was cautioned for a cynical trip on Smith as he looked to counter-attack.

The next attack went Talbot’s way in the 27th minute. Rossiter was dispossessed in his own half and Smith switched play out wide left to find Boyd who played it across the face of goal but there were no takers and it went for the goal kick.

Two minutes later Burgh won a corner down the left through Kerr’s pace and when it came over O’Neill met it but powered a free header over the bar.

On the half hour mark Schoneville made a good burst down the left. His initial ball into the area was blocked but slack defending gifted it back to him & his 2nd attempt floated to the back post where Boyd tried to cut it back across goal only to see it cleared.

The home side had a lucky escape soon after. Boyle floated it down the centre where Scullion came to the edge of his area to gather. He couldn’t hold it under pressure from Smith and with the keeper stranded, Smith drilled a low shot heading on target until O’Neill deflected it behind for the corner.

When the first corner came in it fell to McPherson whose shot was deflected behind for a 2nd corner out on the left. This time it came to the back post where NEILL MCPHERSON saw his header come off the post from close range before drilling it home at the 2nd time of asking to put Talbot in front.

In the 37th minute Talbot came close to doubling their lead. Langan surged forward down the right and slipped it through to Boyd whose low angled shot back across was well saved by Scullion.

The home side drew level in the 40th minute. Rossiter curled over a cross from the left that was headed clear but MCDONALD was first to react to it and he turned smartly on the edge of the area to steer a low drive inside the right post to make it 1-1.

Two minutes later Talbot thought they’d restored their lead but a debatable call from the assistant put paid to it. The Bot won a free kick out on the left which Langan flighted over to the far post. Boyd met it inside the 6-yard area to head home but the assistant saw an infringement lost on the spectators and it didn’t stand.

A minute before the interval Talbot again came close to regaining the lead. Abed won a corner down the left and when it came over Slooves met it only to see his header cleared off the line at the right hand post.

As the game moved into added time Burgh won a free kick 30 yards out. Rossiter went for goal and Armour had to dive to his left to turn it behind and the sides went in all square.

Talbot got off to a sluggish start to the 2nd half and found themselves pegged back for the opening 10 minutes after the restart. Burgh forced a succession of corners and had a few loud, but vain appeals for penalties.

In the 54th minute Talbot were nearly in behind when Abed’s through ball found Boyd. He appeared to have beaten the offside trap but the assistant thought otherwise and her flag put an end to the move.

A minute later a good ball down the left was gathered in by Smith who fed it back to Abed. He whipped over a dangerous cross that Gilday did well to cut out in the middle.

Just after the hour mark Abed cut in off the left flank and was tripped by Mullen who had been booked earlier but the ref decided a free kick was sufficient. Before the free kick could be taken Talbot made their 1st change with Wardrope on for Langan. Talbot failed to make the most of the set piece with Smith opting to roll it back for Wardrope to hit but the defence were wise to it and his shot was blocked.

In the 66th minute Kerr raced down the centre and got a shot off on target but it went straight at Armour.

A minute later he was called upon again when Christie burst down the right and fired a low shot at goal but once again it was comfortably held.

Smith picked up a caution in the 69th minute.

With 72 mins gone Talbot made a triple change with Smith, Gillies and Abed making way for McAvoy, Sime & Clark and Burgh then brought on Lafferty in place of Moore.

Ten minutes from time Schoneville hung a cross up to the back post where McAvoy challenged the keeper who was caught slightly late but made a three course meal of it.

Both sides now made a further change apiece with Kerr on for Schoneville and G McCann replacing Rossiter.

Burgh found themselves a man down in the 84th minute. Lafferty dived into a lunging tackle on Clark out on the left touchline and the ref immediately showed him a straight red.

As the clock ran down towards the end Burgh made two late changes with Dorrans & Lyon on for Kerr & Mullen.

As the game moved into added time Talbot had one last chance. A cut back from the left was knocked behind by O’Neill for a corner kick. When Wardrope’s ball came over McAvoy met it at the near post but under pressure could only head it over and the game finished 1-1.

A hard fought game and a decent away result against a side many expect to be challenging for the title. Next up for Talbot it’s back to Beechwood where they face Cumnock in the 1st derby of the season.