Junior Cup Third Round

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 0

Auchinleck Talbot 2

AUCHINLECK Talbot set up a mouthwatering fourth round Junior Cup tie with Cumnock after they saw off Hill of Beath Hawthorn 2-0 on Saturday.

Talbot fans of a certain age could have been forgiven for thinking the omens weren’t good for this Scottish tie as the last time Talbot travelled through to Keirs Park in blustery conditions it didn’t end well. This time however was a different story as Talbot bested their opponents and the elements to ease to a win.

With the wind at their backs Talbot pushed the hosts back right from the off. Stephen Wilson was unfortunate not to open the scoring in the eighth minute. A free kick was taken short and knocked back to Wilson whose curling shot had the keeper well beaten only to cannon off the woodwork.

The pressure told and a minute later as Talbot took the lead. Graham Wilson fed the ball out to Jamie Glasgow on the right of the area and he took full advantage of the time and space to drill a low shot past Hall into the opposite corner.

The Haws didn’t have time to settle before Talbot doubled their advantage in the 11th minute. Mark Shankland scampered down the wing before firing it across the face of goal where Graham Wilson bundled it home at the back post.

Talbot were well in control and nearly added to their lead in the 18th minute. Hay’s attempted clearance was caught by the wind and blown back toward his own goal where Graham Wilson latched onto it and volleyed just wide of target from 18 yards.

A third goal would have ended the game as a contest and Talbot came close to grabbing it in the 33rd minute. White did well down the right and slung a cross into the box that the defence struggled to clear. It came out to Shankland on the left and he curled over a ball that Dwayne Hyslop just failed to connect with in front of goal.

In the closing stages of the half Talbot twice came close to adding to their lead. Firstly, Shankland left Leishman in his wake before sliding the ball into the near post where Stephen Wilson was just beaten to it by Connors who stretched to knock it behind.

In the final minute of the half Graham Wilson raced clear down the left and drove a low ball across the face of goal which Stephen Wilson just couldn’t reach at the far post and so the sides went in separated by Talbot’s two early strikes.

Hall came to the home side’s rescue in the 54th minute when Graham Wilson got free down the right and carried it forward before drilling a powerful shot on target that the keeper held at the second attempt.

Hill of Beath’s slim hopes of a comeback were dealt a blow in the 68th minute when they were reduced to 10 men. Leishman went right through the back of Graham Wilson and the full-back was sent to the clubhouse for his second yellow of the afternoon.

The Wilson brothers combined well together in the 70th minute, Stephen finding Graham on the right and Graham sliding the ball on through as Stephen continued his run; however Hall had spotted the danger and was quickly off his line to beat Stephen to it.

It was not a day for pretty football or the purist but Talbot got the job done and made light work of a tricky away tie. Next up for Talbot, it is back to league duties where they end the year with the visit of Kilwinning Rangers.

AUCHINLECK TALBOT: Leishman; Lyle, Pope, McPherson, Harvey, White, S Wilson, Hyslop, G Wilson, Shankland, Glasgow. Subs: McIlroy, Armstrong, Faulds, Thomson, Hewitt (gk).