McBookie Premiership

CAMBUSLANG RANGERS 0

AUCHINLECK TALBOT 3

IMPRESSIVE Talbot defeated a youthful Cambuslang side to close within a point of leaders Hurlford United.

Talbot showed their intent within a minute. Jamie Glasgow cut in off the left and curled an effort on target whichi Treecy turned behind for a corner.  David Waite took the set-piece and lifted it over to the far post where Gordon Pope headed over the bar.

A mis-hit clearance by Treecy gifted Talbot a chance in four minutes. His trundled clearance came straight out to Calvin Kemp who burst through into the box, held off the challenge of Tobin, but slid his shot wide of the left post.

The opener came in eight minutes. Glasgow played it up the left wing to Kemp and he lifted a cross to the far post where Gareth Armstrong powered a free header beyond Treecy.

The home side responded and had a decent effort a few minutes after falling behind. Cowan’s cross from the right broke out to Nelson at the edge of the area and he fired just over the bar.

Nelson had another chance in 12 minutes. A ball down the right found him breaking inside the Bot penalty area. He looked suspiciously offside but the flag stayed down and he continued on before firing a tame shot at Andy Leishman.

Talbot now began to dominate and the chances came thick and fast. Craig McCracken fired on target from 20 yards but Treecy held his bouncing effort and shortly after Calvin Kemp whistled a shot over the bar from a tight angle.

McCracken had a chance to get on the score sheet in 19 minutes when Waite’s corner found him in the area but he steered his header wide. A minute later, Kemp spurned a great chance to double Talbot’s lead. McIlroy flicked the ball past McQuade and sped up the left before cutting the ball back across the face of goal where Kemp blazed over the bar from six yards.

In 24 minutes, Talbot rattled the woodwork as they looked for their second goal. A Waite corner from the right was played short and low in toward Kemp, who saw his first effort blocked. He gathered the ball again and blasted it across goal where it crashed off the inside of the right post before ricocheting to safety.

The home side were forced into an early  change when Moynes limped off to be replaced by Easton.

Talbot made it 2-0 in 34 minutes. Easton found himself under pressure chasing back and could only hit his clearance straight to Armstrong on the right wing. He swung it over into the area where Jamie Glasgow crashed an unstoppable shot inside the right post from 15 yards.

Two minutes later Talbot nearly grabbed another. Kemp met Waite’s corner at the near post and his glancing header was heading into the roof of the net til the keeper tipped it over the bar.

When the second corner came over, McCracken met it to power a header on target but it went straight at Treecy who managed to parry it.

Talbot continued to press for the remainder of the half but couldn’t add to their lead and went in two goals ahead at the interval.

Tucker made a change right at the start of the 2nd half with McDowall on for Lyle and Armstrong dropping back to right-back.

Two minutes into the half and Talbot had another opportunity. Armstrong’s cross came to McDowall who didn’t catch his shot cleanly but it trundled through to McIlroy who stabbed it over the bar from 8 yards.

The Bot’s next chance came in 50 minutes. Jack McDowall burrowed through the centre & when he was finally halted the ball broke out to Waite on the right. He fired for goal but McDade did well to block it.

The home side made their second change after 54 minutes when C Miller came on in place of Cowan and Talbot also made a further change with Mark Shankland replacing Sean McIlroy.

Talbot’s next attack saw McCracken feed it out left to Shankland and when he swung a cross over McDowall glanced a header on target that was held by Treecy.

McCracken missed a sitter in the 64th minute as Talbot looked to add to their lead. Shankland delivered a corner from the left straight onto his head but he steered his header wide of the right post from four yards.

Cambuslang now swapped keepers with Miller on in place of Treecy.

Talbot made it 3-0 in 69 minutes thanks to an audacious finish. Waite won the ball out on the right touchline and spotting the keeper had drifted off his line fired over a lob from 40 odd yards that the back pedalling keeper couldn’t prevent from sailing under the bar.

Tucker now made his final change with Graham Wilson on for Glasgow and the sub nearly got on the score sheet soon after coming on when he let fly from 20 yards only to see his shot speed past the left post with the keeper beaten.

It was all Talbot but Cambuslang stuck to their task defensively to prevent Talbot adding to their tallly.

The Bot had one final chance to add to their lead, five minutes from time, when Shankland touched it to Pope and he fired over a cross which McCracken headed just past the left post.

A comfortable win for the Bot who now travel through to Troon on Wednesday knowing that if Hurlford fail to beat Rob Roy they can clinch the title with a win.

CAMBUSLANG RANGERS: Treecy; Neeson, Moynes, Tobin, McQuade, McEwan, Cowan, Cumming, Smith, Nelson, McDade. Subs: Easton, MacKey, C Miller, K Miller.

AUCHINLECK TALBOT: Leishman; Lyle, Pope, McPherson, Harvey, McCracken, Waite, Glasgow, McIlroy, Kemp, Armstrong. Subs: Shankland, Samson, McDowall, Graham Wilson, Hyslop.