WEST OF SCOTLAND CUP SEMI-FINAL

Auchinleck Talbot 0

Cumnock 1

With the streets of Auchinleck decked in black and gold ahead of the Junior Cup final, Talbot were hoping for another shot at silverware.

However, a goal from Scott Anson and a confident display from Cumnock means that they will play Pollok in the West of Scotland Cup final on Saturday.

The Nock were unlucky the last time the sides met at Townhead Park when Mark Shankland's last minute free-kick saw Talbot win 1-0 and they started positively against a Talbot side who hadn't scored in over 200 minutes of football.

After nine minutes, Anson played the ball through to Del Esplin but he couldn't get his shot away before the ball fell to Keir Samson. However, the Talbort defence were prepared to put their bodies on the line as they blocked efforts from first Samson and then Esplin.

A minute later, Paul Burns and Graham Wilson had a coming together resulting in a booking for both players.

With 18 minutes on the clock, Talbot won a free-kick on halfway. Gordon Pope floated the ball into the far post for Graham Wilson but he couldn't keep his header down.

Cumnock were awarded a free-kick when Anson was fouled just outside the box on 28 minutes. Anson and Burns stood over it and the former struck the ball sweetly round the wall forcing Andy Leishman into the save.

A foul by Stephen McKenna allowed Bryan Young to fire in a free-kick on 32 minutes. Darren Johnson punched the ball clear where it broke to Steven Wilson on the left. He went down, just inside the box, when under pressure and, despite the appeals, the referee was never likely to give a penalty.

Graham Wilson tried to sneak a free-kick past Johnson on 34 minutes, but the effort was blocked at the far post.

The last chance of the half fell to the away side. Burns drove into the box before cutting inside and shooting through the legs of a defender but it was routine save for Leishman.

In the second half, no-one could have guessed how Adam Hunter's 49th minute free-kick would come to affect the opening goal. Hunter's shot was so bad it flew over the netting behind the goal and into a neighbouring garden.

Play had restarted and, once it was retrieved from the neighbour's, one young Cumnock supported decided to throw the ball onto the pitch. Leishman jogged back to kick it out and, in a flash, the active ball was played through to Anson.

A slip by the defender saw Anson through, one-on-one, with the out-of-position keeper and the striker took a touch round Leishman before slotting the ball into the far corner.

Things got worse for Talbot on the hour mark. A foul by Graham Wilson on Burns saw the Talbot player pick up a second booking meaning any comeback by the home side would have to be done with 10 men.

Cumnock had already started wasting time on the fly and a loose lace on keeper Johnson's boot earned him a talking to from the referee, after James Lundie had tied it for him.

Talbot looked worse for wear after the goal, they couldn't get their foot on the ball and struggled to create any chances.

With 12 minutes to go, Cumnock sub Andy Muir gave Anson the chance to double the lead but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.

Talbot's best chances to equalise came in stoppage time. A long ball through in the 92nd minute almost fell kindly for substitute Shankland but Johnson made a crucial intervention to concede the corner.

The last act of the match saw Cumnock concede a free-kick for handball inches outside the box. Shankland stood over it and every Cumnock supporter had their hearts in their mouths.

However, unlike the meeting at Townhead Park, Shankland's effort curled round the wall before being deflected away and the celebrations erupted amoung the Cumnock ranks as the referee blew his whistle.

TALBOT: Leishman; Lyle, Pope, Harvey, McGoldrick, Thomson, Young, S Wilson, Milliken, G Wilson, Pooler. Subs: Shankland, Stevenson, McCraken, McPherson, Hyslop.

CUMNOCK: Johnson, Wood, Crawford, Lundie, McKenna, Esplin, Hunter, Burns, Anson, Samson, Montgomerie. Subs: Watt, Shirkie, Muir, McRobbie.