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)
