Venue: Newlandsfield Park

MISSED CHANCES COST TALBOT DEARLY

Report by Murray Steele, photographs by Craig McGhee. video Lee Conn.

Talbot paid the penalty for failing to take their chances as they narrowly lost out to Pollok in the opening game of the league campaign.

Tucker’s new look side made the early running and had the first chance after 3 minutes. Fry had to race off his line to beat Thomson to Wardrope’s through ball and the loose ball broke out left where it was crossed back into the centre. It was cleared to the edge of the area where McCracken met it and his low drive was held by Fry.

A minute later Talbot saw a penalty claim turned down. McCracken took a free kick wide on the left and angled it across to Thomson who headed it down into the heart of the area. Boyd went to meet it and looked to beat Fry to the ball who bundled into him but the decision didn’t go Talbot’s way.

The Bot had a sustained period of pressure around the 8^th minute that started when Smith found Thomson out on the right and his shot was deflected behind. Pollok couldn’t clear their lines from Wardrope’s first corner and the ball found its way back out to him on the left. He swung a cross to the far post where Slooves was waiting but the Lok defender did well to head it behind. This time the corner was played into the near post where McPherson glanced a header on that was blocked by Forrester’s outstretched arm and the ref pointed to the spot.

Boyd stepped up to take it but got blasted his spot kick well over the bar.

Pollok’s first effort came in the 11^th minute when Maley latched onto a Bot mistake at the edge of the area and tried to bend a shot for the far corner that Glavin comfortably saved.

Talbot were still having the best of it but weren’t making the most of a number of set plays won as they had Lok pinned back.

Talbot passed up a great chance to take the lead in the 24^th minute. Smith played a good ball in from the right to find Boyd’s run inside the area but Fry did well to block his effort. The ball came out to Wardrope on the left and he played it across the 6-yard area where Smith met it at the back post but he was falling back as he hit it and sent his effort wide of target.

Just after the half hour mark Pollok won a free kick midway inside the Bot half for McCracken’s challenge on Christie. The free kick was lifted into the box where it was headed clear and came out to McKenzie 19 yards out who pulled his shot well wide of the right post.

A minute later Healy became the first name in the ref’s notebook when he was cautioned for a trip inside the Lok half.

In the 35^th minute Christie played a dangerous cross in from the right which McKenzie failed to make contact with and it flew through to Glavin.

Soon after McCracken had to leave the field injured to be replaced by Park and Talbot shuffled the back four around with McPherson moving into the centre.

Four minutes from the interval Talbot broke down the right through Thomson. When the ball came into the box Healy swivelled on it and sent a shot crashing off the underside of the bar but the ref had blown up for an earlier infringement.

On the stroke of half time Rumsby had his name taken for obstructing Thomson as he broke forward. Talbot didn’t make the most of the resultant free kick but managed to keep the pressure on and in the last action of the half Smith’s cross into the centre ended in a scramble inside the 6-yard area. However, the ball didn’t break Talbot’s way and Pollok held on to go in level at the break.

Pollok made a change during the interval with Barr on at right-back in place of Burrows.

Four minutes into the half and Hutton became the 2^nd Lok player cautioned when he saw yellow for a professional foul on Thomson who was racing up field.

In the 56^th minute Thomson squared the ball inside to Healy who fired over from distance.

Pollok then raced up the other end where Maley’s low ball in from the left was cut out by McPherson who turned it behind for a corner. When the corner came over to the back post Forrester met it and his effort was heading inside the right post but was blocked by McKenzie who was lying in the goal mouth.

Two minutes later Pollok won a free kick 25 yards out when Lindsay was bundled over by Smith. Maley took it and his dipping shot just cleared the bar.

The Bot support thought Talbot were on for their 2^nd penalty of the afternoon in the 64^th minute. Armstrong played it into the feet of Thomson who was bundled over by a sliding tackle as he burst into the area but the referee judged it to be a good tackle and waved play on.

Both sides now made further changes with Gillies coming on for Boyd for Talbot and Kerr replacing McKenzie for the home side.

The Bot fans were upset by the officials again in the 70^th minute when Smith was blatantly taken out off the ball as he ran up the right wing but nothing was given.

Tucker now made his final changes of the afternoon with Kennedy & Langan replacing Thomson and Wardrope.

The Bot fans began to suspect it wasn’t our day when Talbot came close again in the 74^th minute. Healy’s cross from the left put Fry under pressure and the loose ball came out to McPherson 15 yards out whose low drive was heading inside the left post until deflected wide by Forrester.

Pollok now made a double switch with Anderson & Gallacher on in place of Forde & Maley.

Talbot’s next attack saw Smith latch onto a ball up the left before squaring it inside for Langan. He fed it on to his right to find Kennedy whose shot was blocked behind for a corner.

Glavin was called into action in the 77^th minute. Christie’s low drive from the right of the area was saved low to his right and McPherson then completed the clearance.

Action then switched to the other end as Talbot raced forward on the counter. It was played to Kennedy at the right corner of the box and his drive was turned round the left post by Fry.

In the 81^st minute Smith did well out on the left and cut it back into the box for Langan but he couldn’t get his feet sorted and the chance was lost

Pollok made the breakthrough in the 82^nd minute. GALLACHER cut in off the left of the area and whipped a right foot effort into the far top corner giving Glavin no chance.

Two minutes later Anderson had his name taken for kicking the ball away.

Talbot couldn’t make any impression late on and Lok held out to secure all 3 points.

An encouraging display with a disappointing outcome. Talbot now head back to Beechwood where they host newly promoted St Cadocs on Wednesday night.

Pollok – Fry, Burrows, Forrester, Rumsby, Gow, Hutton, Christie, Lindsay, Forde, McKenzie, Maley

Subs – Anderson, Gallacher, Barr, Duff, Morgan, Kerr, Longmuir

Auchinleck Talbot – Glavin, McPherson, Wilson, Slooves, McCracken, Healy, Armstrong, Wardrope, Boyd, Smith, Thomson

Subs – Kennedy, Gillies, Langan, Black, McMillan, Park, Henry

MURRAYS REPORT

Last time Talbot played at Newlandsfield the game was played out in torrential rain and finished all square and so it proved again in yesterday’s encounter.

Talbot had the first chance of the afternoon when Park fed it out to Samson on the right touchline and his ball into the area was met by Boylan who fired wide of target.

Two minutes later Pollok came close down the other end. Buchanan won a corner down the left and when it came over the Bot defence could only clear it out to the opposite wing where Christie swung a cross into the back post that was headed just wide of the right hand post.

With quarter of an hour on the clock Talbot opened up the home defence when Mason’s clever lay off sent Boylan free on the left and he charged down the wing before slinging a low ball across goal that Lumsden cut out just inside his near post.

Two minutes later the Lok keeper could do nothing about Wardrope’s ferocious drive from 25 yards that had the keeper beaten but cannoned back off the crossbar.

Talbot were giving as good as they were getting and looking fairly comfortable right up until the 23^rd minute when the home side took the lead out of the blue. Pollok won a corner down the left which Mullen swung into the centre. Stafford managed to head it away but it was gathered by Christie on the right and he pulled it back toward Esplin at the edge of the area. He pulled his shot under pressure but as luck would have it the ball bounced off a Lok player and fell perfectly for LYON to steer it home from 6 yards out at the back post.

As the weather worsened the game went into a bit of a lull but Talbot did have a couple of half chances just after the half hour mark. Firstly Wardrope found Boylan on the left and his ball down the line sent Mason racing down the left wing but his final ball across goal had too much pace on it.

Soon after Mason had a chance on the right of the Lok box but he opted to take a touch rather than hit it first time and was closed down. The ball broke outside the area where Talbot thought they’d won a foul for holding but the ref waved play on and as Pollok broke Park was penalised for a challenge and received a booking.

In the 39^th minute Crawford took one for the team when he received a caution when he abruptly halted a Lok break down the left wing. Mullen took the resultant free kick but his ball into the centre was easily claimed by Leishman.

A few minutes before the interval Buchanan squared the ball in from the left for Christie but his low drive lacked the power to test Leishman and the sides went in at the break with Lok a goal to the good.

Talbot came out positively at the start of the 2^nd half, Samson winning a free kick for Burns challenge from the back and then Samson won a corner down the right when his cross was put behind by Sideserf. When the corner came over though Pollok headed it clear and broke quickly downfield through Christie who surged forward before sliding it right to McCann who saw his shot blocked by Leishman.

The Bot came close to a leveller in the 50^th minute. Pollok only half cleared a ball and it came to Wilson who headed it over the defence to find Samson in the box. With his back to goal all he could do was glance it on with his head and it flew just wide of Lumsden’s left post.

Talbot kept the pressure up and Crawford’s ball across goal in the 54^th minute only needed a touch but there was no one at the back post to turn it home.

In the 56^th minute Wardrope became the 3^rd Talbot player booked when he received a yellow card for a challenge on Lyon. Mullen again took the Lok set piece and curled the free kick into the centre where McPherson headed it clear.

Tucker made his first change in the 66^th minute with Shankland coming on for Boylan.

A minute later Talbot drew level aided by some indecisive defending. There appeared little danger as the ball bounced 30 yards out but a Lok player tried to head it back toward his own goal and the ball broke off Mason into the path of KIER SAMSON in space and he drilled a low right foot shot across the keeper and inside the right post to make it 1-1.

Mason picked up a very tame booking in the 69^th minute – not helped by Sideserf’s histrionics who went down as though poleaxed when barely touched only to make a lazarus like recovery.

In the 70^th minute the Bot won a free kick wide on the left when Shankland was caught out by the touchline. Shankland swept the free kick into the centre where Park glanced a header just wide of the left hand post.

Two minutes later Burns became the first Lok player cautioned after he wrestled Samson to the ground to prevent him running onto Leishman’s throw out.

The referee wasn’t winning many friends on either side and he enraged the Bot support in the 74^th minute. Once again Burns looked to be guilty of wrestling Samson back for what would’ve been a 2^nd yellow card but the ref decided it was Samson who was holding and gave Pollok the free kick.

With quarter of an hour remaining Wilson played it into the feet of Shankland on the left of the penalty area. His shot across goal took a deflection with Talbot appealing for the corner but the officials awarded a goal kick.

Pollok now made a change with Docherty coming on for Buchanan.

Crawford was having a good 2^nd half and in the 77^th minute he again burst down the right and swung a good cross into the centre that Mullen did well to head clear.

In the 79^th minute Burns won Pollok a corner down the left. Mullen delivered a dangerous ball in that McPherson managed to head clear. It came out to Esplin and he returned it to Mullen who squared it across the face of goal. The ball broke to Christie on the right of the area and he went down looking for a penalty only for the referee to book him for simulation.

Pollok now made a further change with Menzies replacing Burns.

With 9 minutes remaining Lyon did well near the bye line to turn Park and fire a ball across goal but Leishman smothered it at his near post.

The Bot then had a chance down the other end. Shankland squared the ball across to Wardrope who was caught by Esplin 20 yards from goal resulting in a booking for the Lok midfielder and a free kick to Talbot. Shankland took it but fired it low into the wall and when it broke back to him he lashed a shot well off target.

As the game entered its closing stages Talbot made a further change with Taylor coming on for Wardrope.

In the 89^th minute Talbot came close to snatching it when Mason’s shot from outside the box was blocked and it spun right into the path of Crawford who hit it first time and sent a low drive just wide of target.

Deep into injury time Talbot had one last effort. Taylor burst forward down the right and checked inside on his left foot and fired a low shot on target that Lumsden made a complete meal of but eventually managed to hold at the 3^rd time of asking.

A hard fought game and a draw was probably about the right result. Talbot’s next competitive fixture sees the visit of Rob Roy to Beechwood next Saturday but before that there is Andy Leishman’s testimonial at Beechwood later today where many well kent faces from the past will be lining up to face a Kilmarnock legends team.

Pollok – Lumsden, Mullen, Sideserf, Brownlie, Rumsby, Esplin, Christie, Lyon, S McCann, Buchanan, Burns

Subs – Menzies, Simmanon, Docherty, Dykes, Kroi, G McCann, Longmuir

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, A Wilson, McPherson, Crawford, Armstrong, Park, Wardrope, Boylan, Samson, Mason

Subs – Shankland, Taylor, Ballantyne, Lennox, McCracken, Heaney, Hewitt

PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL FLYNN.

MURRAYS MATCH REPORT

The fans certainly got their money’s worth with this incident packed top of the table encounter which ended all square after a topsy turvy 90 minutes.

Talbot couldn’t have made a worse start; conceding a cheap goal with only 8 minutes on the clock. There seemed no danger when a hanging cross was swung over from the left touchline but Leishman flapped at it & knocked the ball straight into the path of FORDE who rolled it into the empty net.

The Bot defence was under pressure in the 14^th minute when Lyon skipped past Wilson on the right and drilled it low across the face of goal. Armstrong cleared it but only as far as Esplin whose shot was deflected wide for a corner. When the corner came over Talbot couldn’t clear their lines, resulting in pinball inside the 6-yard area, before it was finally scrambled behind.

In the 18^th minute the referee produced the 1^st of many cards. Pollok’s Horne was cautioned for a crunching tackle on Samson as he broke up the park and moments later McPherson received a yellow card at the other end for obstructing S McCann.

Pollok won a free kick in a good area in the 22^nd minute which Forde crossed into the area. Aiden Wilson headed it clear & Talbot raced onto the counter with Glasgow spraying an early pass out to the left where Boylan raced onto it and fired a shot on target that Longmuir did well to turn round his post. When the resultant corner came over beyond the far post it was met by Wilson but his ball back across was cleared.

In the 32^nd minute Talbot conceded a penalty following a long shy from the right. Wharton hurled it into the centre & the ref judged McCracken to be holding onto Forde’s shirt and pointed to the spot. MCGREGOR took it and fired it low to Leishman’s left. The Bot keeper got his fingertips to it and pushed it onto the post but it rebounded back out to McGregor who tucked away the rebound.

Two minutes later it could have been curtains for Talbot when they failed to cope with a high cross from the left. The ball broke to Lyon in front of goal but he pulled his shot wide of the left post.

Pollok found themselves a man down in the 36^th minute. Horne was already on a yellow card when he clipped Glasgow’s heels to prevent him breaking free and the ref produced a 2^nd yellow to send him to the clubhouse.

Two minutes later and the referee awarded the 2^nd penalty of the afternoon but this time it was to Talbot. Stafford whipped over a cross from the right and Samson was bundled to the ground off the ball and the ref pointed to the spot. JAMIE GLASGOW took it & kept his cool to send Longmuir the wrong way. Sideserf was then booked for dissent.

The momentum had swung Talbot’s way and in the 40^th minute the Bot drew level. Wilson fed the ball to JAMIE GLASGOW inside the penalty area & he bent it beyond the keeper and into the bottom corner to make it 2-2.

A minute from the break Wharton became the latest player booked.

In the closing seconds of the half Longmuir produced an outstanding save to prevent Talbot going in ahead. Boylan did well on the right, skipping past Sideserf before squaring it across to Hyslop, who must have thought his low drive was heading into the back of the net til Longmuir managed to put it wide and so the sides went in level at the break.

Talbot started the 2^nd half shakily conceding a few needless free kicks to put themselves under pressure and in the 54^th minute conceded a 2^nd penalty kick. Once again it came from a long throw in from the right. This time Hyslop was penalised for high feet when making a challenge and MCGREGOR gave Leishman no chance as he buried it into the roof of the net.

The referee’s notepad was filling up and in the 56^th minute Esplin joined the crime count when he was cautioned for time wasting when he kicked the ball away.

Talbot now made a change with Shankland coming on in place of Boyd.

In the 59^th minute Talbot had a penalty appeal waved away when Glasgow appeared to be held by Sideserf inside the box but the ref dismissed Glasgow’s appeals.

Glasgow won a corner in the 63^rd minute when his cross spun behind off Wharton. The corner was taken short by Shankland to Glasgow and he fired into the side-netting.

The home side were reduced to 9 men a minute later. Brownlie keeled over in the Pollok goalmouth and was harangued by the Bot support for time-wasting. He rounded on the support and was shown a straight red for swearing at the visiting fans. A decision that is technically correct but would probably see every league fixture finish 7 a side.

Talbot had a good chance to level in the 66^th minute. Samson hit a low ball across the face of goal that Hyslop helped on toward the back post where it fell to Glasgow who blazed it over the bar.

A minute later Pollok found themselves down to 8 men. Bizarrely the referee awarded Pollok a free kick for McCracken’s challenge on Forde and then sent Forde off for elbowing McCracken who had to receive treatment for a cut & leave the field to change into another top.

With Pollok down to 8 men it was now a case of Lok lining up along their 18 yard line and Talbot trying to break them down.

In the 73^rd minute Shankland fed it out to Stafford on the right and he swept over a good cross that McGregor headed over his own bar. The corner was pulled back to McPherson who passed it straight back to Shankland who swung over a cross into the centre. McCracken went down in the 6-yard area appealing for a shove but the ref waved away the penalty shout.

The Bot support must have thought it wasn’t to be our day in the 74^th minute when Longmuir produced a fantastic stop to prevent the equaliser. McCracken met Shankland’s corner from the left & did everything right only to see Lok’s keeper managed to keep his header out.

With 12 minutes remaining Talbot made their 2^nd change with Graham Wilson coming on for Boylan.

In the 82^nd minute Stafford pinged a cross into the centre which broke back to Graham Wilson 15 yards out but his shot at goal was blocked away.

With Pollok down to 8 it was nonstop pressure with Lok unable to have any out ball and every time they cleared it the ball coming straight back at them. Talbot were racking up the crosses and corners but Lok were withstanding the pressure.

In the 84^th minute Talbot won a corner on the left that Shankland took quickly and played short into the feet of Graham Wilson. He squared it to Samson but once again a shot at goal was blocked away in the crowded 6-yard area.

Just when it appeared as though Talbot were going to be frustrated the Bot drew level in the 89^th minute. Glasgow knocked a good ball over from the left and GRAHAM WILSON met it to flick it beyond Longmuir to make it 3-3.

The drama wasn’t over though. In the final minute a shy from the left was only partially cleared and came to Shankland at the edge of the area but he fired over the bar.

As the game entered injury time Talbot had another chance to take all 3 points. Shankland released Stafford on the overlap and he swung over a good cross that Samson headed over.

Deep into injury time Longmuir defied Talbot with two incredible saves. Firstly, he dived low to his left to keep out McCracken’s net bound header and moments later he managed to tip Aiden Wilson’s screamer from 18 yards over his crossbar to ensure Pollok held out for the draw.

A frustrating afternoon for Talbot who would gratefully have settled for a point when 2 down but will be disappointed that they couldn’t force a winner for all their pressure late on.

After a long stretch of away days it is back to Beechwood next Saturday as Talbot take on Hurlford in the league.

Pollok – Longmuir, Lyon, Sideserf, Wharton, Brownlie, Horne, Esplin, McGregor, S McCann, Forde, Mackenzie

Subs – Graham, Duff, Bradley, Grant, Grimshaw, Kroi, Lumsden

Auchinleck Talbot – Leishman, Stafford, Aiden Wilson, McPherson, Craig McCracken, Armstrong, Hyslop, Boyd, Boylan, Glasgow, Samson

Subs – Shankland, Graham Wilson, McDowall, Lyle, Robbie McCracken, Hewitt