Venue: Newlandsfield Park

Talbot ended the season in style, beating Renfrew 5-2 to add the Evening Times cup to their list of silverware for the season.
Prior to kick off Talbot were presented with the league trophy and then it was down to business.
It was immediately apparent both sides had come to have a go and within the first few minutes Love lifted a shot over the bar at one end before Zok did likewise down the other.
The 1st close call came in the 8th minute. Young met a ball in behind the Frew defence & laid it out 1st time to Milliken on the left. He thumped a shot at goal that had Baird beaten but struck his right hand post.
The game continued to flow from end to end and Renfrew had a decent chance in the 21st minute. McDaid picked the ball up in the centre & switched it out left to find Jones at the edge of the area. He fired on target but Leishman held it at his near post.
Seconds later Milliken had a glorious chance to put Talbot ahead. The Renfrew defence failed to cut out a ball through the middle & it came straight through to Milliken. He only had Baird to beat but the keeper stood his ground & saved with his legs when Milky tried to prod it past him.
Talbot took the lead in the 24th minute. Young surged through the centre of midfield & sent it out wide right to find SHANKLAND who carried on into the box before drilling a shot past Baird.
The Bot were controlling the game but unable to add to their lead & almost paid for it in the 35th minute. Boyd cleared McDaid’s cross into the centre to the edge of the area where it broke away from McGoldrick allowing O’Keefe the chance & he sent a low drive just past Leishman’s right post.
The game continued to ebb & flow in the latter stages of the half though neither keeper was tested.
Benton had his name taken in the 44th minute for a trip on Boyd and the half ended with Talbot taking a 1-0 lead in at the interval.
Talbot made a strong start to the 2nd half and came close to a 2nd goal in the 46th minute. McGoldrick carried it out from the back before releasing a pass down the left to find Young. He fired a shot across goal that sailed just past the left post with the aid of a slight deflection. When Shankland’s corner came over the defence failed to cut it out & the ball made its way to the back post where LOVE prodded it home from close range to double Talbot’s lead.
It looked as though Talbot were well in control but Renfrew had other ideas and it was game on again when they pulled one back in the 51st minute. Benton did the damage, cutting in past Pope & powering the ball across goal, and although Leishman got a hand to it to keep his effort out, ZOK was in the right place to hook it home from close range at the back post.
Renfrew now made a substitution with Nisanci coming on in place of McDaid.
Hyslop picked up a caution in the 54th minute for a foul on Forbes and a minute later Talbot had a let off when Benton gathered the ball out on the left & curled a shot at goal that beat Leishman but clipped off the top of the bar.
Renfrew capitalised on their good spell & levelled the score in the 58th minute. Benton ran into space down the left wing before releasing the ball inside to JONES and he coolly slotted it past Leishman to make it 2-2.
Talbot responded and were unlucky on the hour mark when Young split the defence with a pass to send Milliken through but Baird came to his side’s rescue, racing out to the edge of the area to beat him to it.
Three minutes later Baird produced a wonder stop to keep Renfrew level. Young did well outside the penalty area, skipping past a couple of challenges before sliding it out to Shankland on the left. He cut inside onto his right foot & drilled a shot inside the near post that the Bot support all had counted, but somehow Baird made the stop to his right & when the ball spun high inside the 6-yard box it didn’t fall for Love & the defence managed to clear.
It was then Talbot’s chance to have a narrow escape. O’Keefe sped free down the left & squared it for Zok who ought to have scored from 4 yards out but hit Leishman with his shot.
It was anybody’s game at this stage but just when they needed it Talbot found an extra gear. The Bot regained the lead in the 70th minute when Hyslop met a ball through the centre & glanced a header to his right to pick out YOUNG who placed it inside Baird’s left post to make it 3-2.
With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot hit the woodwork for the 2nd time. Boyd won a corner down the right and when it came over McGoldrick’s header bounced off the turf & up onto the top of the bar before going over.
Renfrew weren’t done though & they nearly levelled again in the 80th minute. Shankland’s pass to Love was intercepted & Jones raced away down the left before whipping a dangerous cross into the centre where Pope succeeded in beating Zok to the ball to turn it behind for a corner.
Talbot restored their two goal cushion, and effectively ended Renfrew’s hopes, with a 4th in the 82nd minute. Milliken did well out on the right, holding the ball up, before releasing it to the overlapping Boyd. He cut it back to LOVE who tucked it away into the opposite corner.
Talbot wasted a chance to extend their lead a few minutes later. Milliken turned smartly away from Heffron to race through down the left. He had Love free on the 6-yard line for a tap in but his final ball was just a bit short.
Both sides now made changes with MacDonald replacing Forbes for Renfrew & Findlay coming on for Love.
The scoring was completed in the 86th minute. Young lifted a ball down the right where Milliken outpaced Ramsay before cutting the ball back for HYSLOP who passed the ball just inside the left post.
Renfrew kept going & were denied a late consolation when Benton surged clear on the right of the area and smashed a great strike across goal which produced an equally impressive save from Leishman.
Renfrew completed their substitutions in the final minute when Campbell came on for Ramsay.
As the game moved into injury time Talbot came within a whisker of adding to their tally. Shankland pulled a corner back out to Boyd and his shot was blocked by the arm of Campbell, resulting in a free kick 20 yards out & a caution for the substitute. Shankland took it & very nearly got his 2nd as his low drive flew wide of the wall & just past the left post.
This was a fitting end to the season and the fans at Newlandsfield certainly got their money’s worth with Talbot worthy winners in the end.

Talbot – Leishman, Lyle, Pope, McGoldrick, White, Boyd, Young, Hyslop, Love, Shankland, Milliken
Subs – Findlay, G Wilson, S Johnstone

Renfrew – Baird, Mulgrew, Gordon, Heffron, Ramsay, Forbes, McDaid, Benton, Zok, Jones, O’Keefe
Subs – Nisanci, MacDonald, Nicholson, Cameron, Campbell

Talbot won their 1st trophy of the season, claiming the West of Scotland cup, after a fairly comfortable victory over Hurlford.

The Bot made a strong start & won a free kick near the Hurlford box inside the 1st minute. Young curled it to the back post where McClune beat Hyslop to it to head behind for a corner. The corner was whipped in from the left & Brown managed to punch it clear. He didn’t get it very far though & Hyslop beat McKenzie to it on the right of the area & flighted the ball across the 6-yard box where SHANKLAND guided a header inside the right post to give Talbot an early lead.

Talbot were fired up for it & threatened again in the 8th minute. Young’s accurate pass found Milliken breaking down the left & he sped clear & fired a dangerous ball across goal but it came to nought as there was no one in the centre to take advantage.

You have to strike whilst the iron is hot & Talbot made their strong start count when they doubled their lead in the 13th minute. Donnelly conceded a free kick just outside his own box after he took a heavy touch, lost the ball, and tumbled Shankland over when trying to retrieve it. G WILSON took the set piece & curled a beauty of a shot over the wall that left Brown spectating.

On the night Hurlford created few clear cut chances but they did come close after 27 minutes. McKenzie played it to Borris on the right of the penalty area & he slid it across to the far post. Donnelly tried to prod it in at the post but was beaten to it by McCracken’s slide tackle & Leishman gathered.

Donnelly won a cheap free kick just outside the Bot penalty area in the 37th minute when he threw himself down under McCracken’s challenge. McClune stepped up to hit it but his tame effort was easily held by Leishman.
In the closing minutes of the half both teams fashioned decent chances. R Robertson met Borris cross from the right but directed a free header over the bar from 10 yards out and then in the last action of the half Milliken showed good ball control to beat a couple of men down the left before sweeping it into the area.

Wilson dummied it & Young following in behind flashed a shot just wide of Brown’s right post.
Hurlford made a change during the interval with M Brown on at right-back in place of McClune.
A 3RD goal would’ve killed the game & Talbot very nearly got it in the 50th minute. Hylsop released Shankland on the left & he was brought down by McClune just outside the area, resulting in a caution & a free kick to Talbot. Shankland struck it low past the wall & his shot was arrowing inside the left post until Brown made a full length save to tip it round the post.
Hurlford huffed & puffed but couldn’t blow Talbot’s walls down and it was no surprise when they made their 2nd change after 62 mins, with Kean on to replace Donnelly.
Hyslop was having a good night & he created Talbot’s next opening, releasing Young on the right with a disguised pass, and Butch drilled a shot on target from a tight angle which Brown parried. It came straight out to Hyslop & his low drive looked to be heading into the bottom corner until blocked away by the outstretched leg of a defender.
Hurlford made their final change in the 68th minute when Nisbett came on for Borris.
Milliken had his name taken in the 70th minute when he tried to prevent Brown from taking a quick free kick inside the Hurlford area.
The main goal threat continued to come from Talbot & Pope deserved better in the 73rd minute when he angled a dangerous ball in from the left that no Bot player could turn home in front of goal.
Hurlford hadn’t offered much but they did stretch the Bot defence in the 75th minute. R Robertson rose to flick a header out left into the path of Kean & he broke into the Talbot box & fired a dangerous low ball across goal which McGoldrick did well to intercept at the expense of a corner.
Talbot made a change in the 77th minute with Love replacing Shankland up top.
Hyslop was inches from adding to Talbot’s lead a minute later. Wilson fed the ball out left to Young & Hyslop very nearly converted his looping cross at the back post but just failed to connect.
As the clock ticked down Hurlford threw bodies forward & piled pressure on in the last 10 mins. They had won numerous corners throughout the game to little effect but they did work a good one in the 82nd minute. It was taken short & found McKenzie outside the area & his low drive took a couple of deflections in a crowded goal mouth before heading wide of the left post.

With 6 minutes remaining Talbot made their 2nd change with Boyd on for Wilson.
Hurlford had run out of ideas & out of steam & Talbot saw the closing stages out comfortably. Frustration got the better of McKenzie two minutes from time & the Hurlford winger was cautioned for a foul on Young.

Talbot’s form has been as unpredictable as the Ayrshire weather but they produced their A game when it mattered to record a thoroughly deserved victory over Hurlford & claim the West again. Next up for Talbot is a repeat encounter as they travel to the lunar surface of Blair Park to face Hurlford in the league, knowing a win or a draw will be enough to retain the league championship. Here’s hoping for a similar performance & a double on Wednesday night.

Talbot – Leishman, Latta, Pope, McGoldrick, McCracken, White, Young, Shankland, Milliken, G Wilson, Hyslop
Subs – Love, S Wilson, Boyd, Gillies, Johnston

Hurlford – A Brown, McClune, McKillen, G Mitchell, C Robertson, D Mitchell, McKenzie, Chisholm, Donnelly, R Robertson, Borris
Subs – Creaney, M Brown, Kean, Nisbett, Murchie