ANOTHER year and another Junior Cup semi-final for Auchinleck Talbot.

It is the seventh time in 10 seasons the Bot have reached this stage and they have progressed to the final on the six previous occasions.

Manager Tommy Sloan was impressed by the way his side put quarter-final victims Carnoustie Panmure to the sword with a 2-0 win at Laing Park.

The Talbot boss told the Chronicle: “We started quite well and managed to get in front and we got the second goal before half time. It was one of those that we could have scored one or two more but we we’re worth it. We defended well.

“There’s only two of us in it [the semi-finals] so far. It doesn’t matter who you play, it will be a difficult match.

“In the semi-finals it’s the home and away thing, the two legs so the stronger team should win through in that situation.

“Hopefully it will be us. I’ve no preference whether we’re home or away in the first leg, I’ve never been bothered.”

Goals from Willie Lyle and Graham Wilson helped the Beechwood Park side reach back-to-back semi-finals for the first time since 2012-13 when they reached the final three seasons in a row. Then, wins over Musselburgh Athletic and Linlithgow Rose sandwiched a 2-1 loss to Shotts Bon Accord.

Next up for Talbot is a trip to Holm Park to face Clydebank in the league.

Sloan added: “They will be coming in with a lot of confidence, they won 3-0 over Girvan.

“It’s been tough for them this season. We’ve been doing well ourselves and being in the semi-finals will give us confidence.

“It won’t be an easy game, we’ve lost there before.

“Kyle Faulds missed the match on Saturday with flu and there are one or two other niggles after that game.”