Bo'ness Utd 1 Talbot 3 (23rd April 2011)

Match report contributed by murray from the Auchinleck Talbot Forum

It was a case of singing in the rain for the Bot support, as Talbot breezed through this 2nd leg at a soaked Newton Park, to book a place in the Junior cup final.

Leading 2 nil from last week Talbot took the game to Bo’ness right from kick off and the tie was as good as done and dusted as early as the 2nd minute.

Spence found himself in space out on the left and played the perfectly weighted pass into the centre for JAMES LATTA, who had the freedom of the box to sweep it home from close range and put Talbot 3 goals ahead on aggregate.

Bo’ness now had nothing to lose, and piled forward but without making any impact.

In the 11th minute McFadyen won what looked like a very cheap free kick in a dangerous area when he crumpled under Slavin’s challenge, but justice was done when Collins rose highest in the area to head clear Fleming’s free kick to the back post.

Talbot now immediately switched onto the counter and a ball down the centre saw a three way race between McCann and Duffin and Longmuir of Bo’ness. The keeper was never getting there, but luckily for Longmuir, Duffin’s header went past his own post with the keeper stranded, to narrowly avoid the own goal.

When the corner came over, Slavin met it beyond the back post and nodded it into the goal mouth but the defence managed to scramble it away.

It was then the turn of the hosts to threaten from a corner kick out on the right. The corner was met by McQueen who headed it back across goal but Latta was on hand to make the clearance.

With 19 minutes gone Bo’ness conceded a corner when a cross from the left was met at the back post by Slavin and his knock down was slashed behind his own goal by McQueen. When the corner came over it fell for GAVIN COLLINS and he buried his left foot shot into the top corner of the net to end the game as a contest.

With the home side’s heads down and Talbot buoyant it could have been three nil a few minutes later, and if it had went in it would have been a contender for goal of the season

A superb passing move saw Spence pick out Slavin who in turn fed the ball to Gillies. Davie knocked it into the path of Latta as he raced into the area and he squared it across for McCann who did everything right with his drive for goal, only to be denied by a top notch stop from Longmuir who touched it onto the bar and over, with Talbot unable to make anything of the corner.

Frustration now began to creep into the Bo’ness ranks and McFadyen picked up the 1st yellow card of the afternoon on 26 mins for a needless late challenge on McGoldrick as he went to clear the ball.

Talbot then had another chance to extend their lead from a set piece when they won a corner out on the left. It was taken short to Spence and Colin looped a cross over and onto the head of Latta who headed it just over the bar.

White then made a good burst from the midfield but chose to go for goal from distance rather than spread it left to Gillies who was in space, and never properly caught hold of the shot, which went tamely past Longmuir’s right post.

Chances had been few and far between for Bo’ness and when they did go for goal it was posing no threat, as was the case on the half hour mark when Fleming went for goal wide out on the left but his ambitious effort flew yards over Leishman’s bar.

Bo’ness had a better chance to pull one back on 35 minutes but again failed to work Leishman. Walker swung a cross over from the right and McLaren met it in the centre but despite having a free header, he failed to capitalise and got no power behind his header and Leishman made a comfortable save.

Donnelly then tried to break free down the left for Bo’ness but his final touch was too heavy and Leishman came off his line to claim the ball.

Bo’ness were pressing hard but getting no change out of Talbot’s back four who stood firm and dealt comfortably with everything thrown at them.

One minute from the half time whistle Bo’ness had another promising break when Shirra made a run down the left before releasing McFadyen. The Bo’ness striker made for the bye line and cut it back but McVey covered across and made the clearance, and so the sides went in at the interval with Talbot having a commanding aggregate lead.

Bo’ness started the 2nd half on the offensive but again without really looking like they had it in them to muster the goals necessary to make a game of it.

McQueen fired a wild shot well off target just after the interval and then Duffin got on the end of a corner kick but his header was always going wide of goal.

Fleming became the 2nd Bo’ness player to pick up a caution when he was booked after 54 mins for up ending White who was breaking into the Bo’ness half.

Slavin played the ball down the line and when Hunter lost his footing, Gillies nipped in behind but was unable to keep his shot down and fired over the bar from a tight angle.

Moments later and Talbot had the Bo’ness defence at full stretch again. A ball over from the right was met inside the area by Latta who cheekily back-heeled it in the direction of Gillies, only for a defender to get across in the nick of time to make the clearance.

Spence then slipped a great ball through for McCann on the right of the area and his shot from an acute angle seemed to come off the keeper but the officials said otherwise and gave the goal kick to Bo’ness.

With time running away from them Bo’ness now made a double switch with Hay coming on in place of Fraser and Plenderleith replacing McFadyen up front.

On 58 mins McLaren played a good ball down the left channel but McGoldrick had read the situation and got back to cover and touch it behind for a corner, and Talbot were able to cope easily with the resultant corner.

With almost an hour gone Plenderleith should have gone into the ref’s notebook but had a lucky escape when he was only spoken to for a late challenge on White.

Talbot then came close to grabbing another goal when Gillies whipped a great ball across the face of goal from the left, only for Duffin to make a crucial clearance.

With 64 mins gone Gillies had a half chance to make it three, when he got onto the end of Spence’s ball but he got underneath it and volleyed the ball over the bar.

It was now all Talbot again and it looked as though another goal was imminent. It nearly came on 65 mins when Young whipped a dangerous cross over but Fleming managed to scramble the ball away from the goal mouth.

Leishman hadn’t been called upon too often but made a good save when required on 70 minutes. Walker found a bit of space out on the right and fired a shot across for the far post but Leishman got down well to turn it round the post and as Talbot had done all afternoon the defence dealt confidently with the corner into the box.

With quarter of an hour remaining Talbot made their 1st change with Boyle making his return from injury and coming on in place of McCann.

Hay then joined his fellow sub Plenderleith in the ref’s book and again it was for a late tackle on White who had been on the receiving end of a few such challenges.

Boyle made an immediate impact when he was involved in the build up to Talbot’s 3rd goal in the 76th minute.

He laid the ball off into the path of DAVIE GILLIES and he drilled a shot, low into the corner of the net at Longmuir’s right hand post.

With a place in the final booked, Talbot now made their final two changes with White & Spence coming on after a hard shift in the middle, to be replaced by Connolly and Davidson.

Bo’ness then picked up a couple of yellow cards in quick succession when Donnelly had his name taken for a late challenge on Latta, only to be joined a few minutes later by McQueen for a foul on Young.

Talbot were continuing to press and Latta nearly made it through on goal from Davidson’s pass but a defender got across to make a last gasp clearance and then Davidson met a corner and played a good ball back across but it was well cleared by the defence.

With 4 mins to go Bo’ness grabbed a consolation effort, following a mistake by Leishman.

A ball into the area was headed on by McQueen but there seemed no danger as Leishman looked favourite to gather, however the Bot keeper hesitated and PLENDERLEITH was able to stretch out a leg and divert the ball home.

In the closing stages Fleming also picked up a yellow card to become the 5th Bo’ness player to be booked.

The final whistle was met by loud celebrations from the Bot players and fans who now have a cup final date at Rugby Park to look forward to at the end of May.

Talbot – Leishman, Slavin, McVey, McGoldrick, Collins, Spence, Young, White, Gillies, McCann, Latta

Subs – Connolly, Smith, O’Neill, Mallan, Davidson, Robb, Boyle

Bo’ness – Longmuir, McQueen, Fleming, Duffin, Hunter, Fraser, Donnelly, Shirra, McFadyen, McLaren, Walker

Subs – Ballantine, Cooper, Forrest, Hay, Plenderleith, Ure & Baillie (gk)

Match report contributed by murray from the Auchinleck Talbot Forum

Talbot 2 Bo'ness United 0 (H-T 1-0)

Match report contributed by murray from the Auchinleck Talbot Forum

It is advantage Talbot after the 1st leg of the Scottish semi-final, as the Bot emerged with a two goal lead to take through to Newton Park next Saturday.

Talbot got off to a good start, winning a corner kick on the right within the first few seconds, when McCann headed the ball into the path of Gillies and Duffin had to race across to put it behind. Unfortunately Young didn’t get his delivery right and the corner was easily swept away from the near post.

Bo’ness won their own first corner with 5 minutes played, Shirra winning the corner off McVey out on the right. When the corner came over to the back post, Leishman came off his line to punch the ball to safety.

Talbot then broke down the field through Gillies who raced clear down the left wing but lacked any support in the centre and when he cut it back into the area, the defence were there to clear their lines.

In the 9th minute a good pass by Fraser picked out McLaren on the left touchline but Collins got across quickly to make the challenge and put it out for a shy.

Bo’ness worked the ball back to Donnelly and his cross into the centre was met by McLaren but he got underneath it and put his header a yard or two over the bar.

Latta then sent a good ball through the right channel for McCann who went for the early snap shot which was comfortably saved by Longmuir.

The visitors had a chance to take the lead on 14 mins when Gillies gave away possession just inside his own half. Bo’ness quickly fed the ball through the centre to McLaren but Leishman had read the danger and came swiftly off his line to make the block.

McLaren was involved again a minute or two later when he popped up on the left but his attempted cross into the near post was partially blocked by White and spun harmlessly into the arms of Leishman.

Spence then tried his luck from distance when he had a go from around 20 yards. He got decent power behind his effort but it was straight at Longmuir who made a routine save.

The tide turned Talbot’s way on 20 mins when Bo’ness found themselves a man down. Latta threaded a ball through for Gillies and as he began to break clear of Forrest on the edge of the area, the Bo’ness centre half had a tug at his shirt and Gillies went down. The referee awarded Talbot a free kick right on the edge of the area and showed Forrest a straight red for a last man foul and denying a goal scoring opportunity.

The free kick was just left of centre and once the dust had settled over the red card, Spence stepped up to hit it and was very unlucky to see his low swerving effort, curl just the wrong side of Longmuir’s left post with the keeper beaten.

With 26 minutes gone Talbot did take the lead with the Bo’ness defence posted missing. A huge clearance by Leishman wasn’t cut out by either central defender and YOUNG beat Ballantine to the ball before coolly steering it with the outside of his foot, past the keeper and into the corner of the net.

Bo’ness were wobbling at this stage and a few minutes after taking the lead, Gillies looked set to burst through on goal only to be denied by a last gasp challenge from McQueen.

On the half hour mark Latta swung a cross over for Gillies at the back post but it was just fractionally behind him and he had to lean back to get his head on it and subsequently couldn’t generate enough power behind the header. His header went into the goal mouth where McCann met it with his back to goal but he was crowded out and the defence cleared it to safety.

A quickly taken shy by Latta then opened up the visitor’s defence as he found the run of Slavin into the area and Talbot’s skipper came close to doubling the lead, but his shot was brilliantly turned around his left hand post by Longmuir.

It was all Talbot at this stage and the Bot again came close to scoring on 34 minutes. The move started when Latta passed it through for Spence who would have been through on goal but for a well-timed tackle by Ballantine. The loose ball was picked up by Slavin on the right of the area and he dinked it over to McCann at the far post. McCann took a touch and then drilled his shot from 6 yards against the base of Longmuir’s right hand post, in what was a real let off for Bo’ness.

It had been one way traffic following the red card but Bo’ness showed they were still very much in the tie when they won a free kick in a dangerous area, following White’s foul on McLaren. Shirra took it and whipped it over to the back post for Ballantine who got his head to it but couldn’t beat Leishman.

Talbot then had their own chance from a set piece in a good area when Duffin fouled Gillies out on the right. However, Talbot didn’t make the most of it, Spence squaring it across for McVey to have a shot but his effort was always rising and went over the bar.

Fraser became the 1st player to be cautioned after 42 mins when he was penalised for taking Latta out of the game.

With a minute remaining of the 1st half Talbot again threatened to extend their lead. Young and McVey combined well down the wing before Liam flashed a dangerous ball right across the face of goal which had to be scrambled clear from the goal mouth.

Then deep in 1st half injury time Bo’ness had a chance to snatch an equaliser. A high ball was swung into the box and Leishman came to claim it but was beaten to it in the air by McLaren. The ball went up into the sky and fell for Walker who seeing the keeper off his line went for the 1st time volley but it was too near Leishman who plucked it out the air, in what was the last action of the 1st half.

Talbot made a dream start to the 2nd half when they scored within a minute of the re-start.

Spence drilled a shot at goal which Longmuir could only block straight back out and GILLIES was in the right spot to tuck the rebound away to put Talbot 2-0 ahead.

Bo’ness went looking for an early response and nearly found it when Donnelly raced down the left and swung over a dangerous cross which forced Leishman to tip the ball over his own bar. Bo’ness fired the corner over to the near post but Slavin was there to make the clearing header.

In the 50th minute Walker became the second Bo’ness player to see yellow when he was cautioned for a late challenge on Young.

Talbot had a half chance on 55 minutes when a ball into the heart of the Bo’ness box wasn’t dealt with at all by the central defence but despite there being a few Bot players in attendance, the ball just wouldn’t break kindly and eventually found its way through to Longmuir.

Bo’ness were awarded a fairly soft free kick out on the left after 59 mins and with plenty of height in their ranks, they opted to throw it into the area but Leishman was equal to the challenge and came off his line to punch the ball to safety.

Colin Spence then had his name taken for what seemed a very innocuous challenge but the ref then signalled that it was for persistent fouling.

Talbot’s next effort came in the 64th minute. A shy out on the right was thrown infield for McCann who steered it out to Young on the left of the area. Butch hit it early and Longmuir had to turn his shot behind at the expense of a corner, which Talbot could make nothing of.

Bo’ness now made their 1st change of the afternoon when McLaren left the field to be replaced by Plenderleith.

With 70 mins gone Bo’ness won a corner out on the right when McVey’s clearance was charged down and spun back off him and behind. The corner was lifted into the centre but Leishman came out and took the ball cleanly.

Talbot were soon back on the attack and McGoldrick’s ball down the left channel saw Gillies racing free until he was up ended by Ballantine’s clumsy challenge. The free kick was taken short to Young who whipped a good cross into the centre which the defence managed to scramble away.

However, the danger wasn’t over and with Bo’ness unable to clear their lines, the ball fell to Gillies inside the box and his powerful drive on target was blocked away by Longmuir.

The action then switched ends with Walker making a break into the Talbot box but McGoldrick did well, staying on his feet and shepherding him out wide and when he finally played it across, Leishman gathered it in.

Talbot had a golden chance to make it 3-0 and effectively kill the tie off on 78 minutes.

The ball was swept into the box and although Spence couldn’t get on the end of it, it fell for Gillies 8 yards out and he had time to take a touch and steady himself before drilling a low shot for goal. Longmuir did well to make the block but it was a chance missed.

Bo’ness again couldn’t clear the loose ball and it found its way to Gillies for a 2nd crack at it; this time his shot produced a top quality save from Longmuir who dived to his right to turn it round the post for a corner.

White then became the 2nd Bot player to pick up a caution when he had his name taken for a body check on Donnelly.

Bo’ness now made their 2nd switch of the match with Hay coming on in place of Fraser.

With 8 minutes remaining a slack pass from Gillies surrendered possession to Walker and he fired a dangerous cross over from the right for Shirra beyond the far post, but the Bo’ness man was stretching to reach it and could only prod it wide of target.

Talbot made a double switch in the 84th minute with Gillies and Spence coming off to be replaced by Mallan and O’Neil.

As the game moved into the closing stages Talbot started to look a little nervy and for the 1st time since going behind, Bo’ness began to exert some concerted pressure.

Latta picked up a caution in the 89th minute for a late challenge. Bo’ness looped the free kick into the box but Leishman came and made a comfortable catch.

Deep into injury time Leishman was called into action when Donnelly cut in from the left and went for the near post, forcing Leishman to turn it round his right hand post. When the corner came over Talbot headed it clear but only as far as Shirra out on the left and he whipped the ball across to the unmarked Duffin at the corner of the 6 yard area who volleyed it back across goal and just past Leishman’s right hand post.

This proved to be the last action of the match with the ref blowing for full-time.

Talbot now go up to Newton park next Saturday protecting a two goal lead which puts the Bot firmly in the driving seat but still with work to do, in what is sure to be a tense afternoon through at Bo’ness.

Talbot – Leishman, Latta, McVey, McGoldrick, Collins, Spence, Young, White, Gillies, McCann, Slavin

Subs – Robb, Connolly, O’Neil, Mallan, Smith & Davidson

Bo’ness – Longmuir, McQueen, Hunter, Duffin, Forrest, Fraser, Donnelly, Shirra, McLaren, Walker, Ballantine

Subs – Fleming, Hay, McFadyen, Plenderleith, Snowdon, Ure & Baillie (gk)

Match report contributed by murray from the Auchinleck Talbot Forum