Talbot boss upbeat after Hearts defeat
Talbot’s magical cup journey hits buffers in Capital
Tommy Sloan has heaped praise on his Scottish Cup heroes – despite falling to defeat against Hearts.
Auchinleck headed to Edinburgh for a rematch of their 2012 cup clash.
But even although they lost this year’s fifth- round match, gaffer Sloan was delighted with how his side handled the occasion.
Goals from Christophe Berra, Demetre Mitchell, Steven MacLean and Aidan Keena ended Talbot’s incredible cup journey.
But Sloan remained upbeat. He said: “The journey has been brilliant, right from the first draw way back in July.
“This is the furthest we have ever got. “I know I didn’t look happy during the game, but I was still out there loving this experience.
“We take confidence from getting so far in this competition – beating Ayr United was the club’s biggest- ever result.
“We want to play in this competition every year, I’d love that.
“We need to either win the league or the Junior Cup to do that, we have to make sure and do that.”
He added: “The result reflected the game, I have no complaints.
“I was disappointed in the manner we lost the first goal as we spoke about Berra before the match.
“We could have dealt with the corner better, it was a cheap goal to lose.
“There was a gulf in class in the first half. But we came out and played well in the second half, that shows spirit.
“We carved out a few chances and showed some good stuff at times.
“We had a cutting edge about us and that pleased me.”
More than1800 ‘ Bot fans filled the away end, more than most Premiership sides take to Tynecastle.
Sloan said: “The fans were great, they have been all season. We’ve been underdogs in pretty much every game in this competition according to the bookies.
You’re only here for the Talbot... that was the cry from the noisy away end on Sunday, even at 3- 0 down.
And the Roseburn Stand almost erupted just minutes from time when Stephen Wilson lashed home a Mark Shankland cross from five yards.
But it was an almost mirror- image scene from 2012 for the Talbot faithful when the Main Stand linesman flagged the midfielder offside.
It didn’t stop him lapping up the praise though – he still made the most of his celebrations infront of the adoring visiting fans.
It would have been a meer consolation for the visiting side at 4- 0, but oh how much it would have meant to Tommy Sloan, his players and the fans.
Talbot were never disgraced. They held their own for large parts of the game, but ultimately the Premiership class oozed out and Hearts showed why they are only three points off third place in the top flight.
“That wee goal would have given our fans something to cheer about,” said Wilson.
“Obviously, I got a wee buzz when it hit the net, scoring at Tynecastle. But it wasn’t to be.
“I thought I made the run late and stayed onside, but I can watch it later on Sportscene!
“Still, what an adventure it has been.
“It has been a great experience for the boys.”
A first- half rout with goals from Christophe Berra, Demetre Mitchell and Steven MacLean was followed up by a late second- half strike from Aidan Keena.
But despite the score, Wilson joked that he was glad he didn’t play for Chelsea or St Johnstone.
Both sides lost by heavier margins on Sunday, 6- 0 to Man City and 5- 0 to Celtic respectively.
As when he was told the score from the Etihad, he laughed: “Well there you go, it could be worse – we could be Chelsea.
“You see the other results, Celtic pumping St Johnstone 5- 0 for example. I feel we’ve done not bad for a junior side coming here.
“The gaffer said try and keep it tight as long as we could as that’s where we were successful against Ayr. If it was goalless at half- time you never know what might have happened.
“But the first goal, a free header? “Defensively we were not good enough there.
“The second goal was a deflection and after the third we were really up against it.
“At half- time we just said, ‘ Listen, let’s go out and win the half’.
“They may have beaten us 1- 0 in the second half but we did our fans proud.
“We needed to come here and try to hold our own. I felt we did that. We also had a good couple of chances from Jamie Glasgow, as well as my big brother Graham. On another day we could have scored a couple of goals.
“We knew we were up against it from the off against a top- quality side who were top of the league at the start of the season.
“We tried to sit in and put our bodies on the line defensively and hopefully we would get one or two chances. We got them, we were just unlucky not to take them.”
Talbot now return to a hectic league schedule as they are as much as 10 games in hand to teams above them in the West Premiership.
They return to action against Rob Roy on Saturday, and one player is hoping the season gets finished on time for a special reason.
Wilson said: “We have Rob Roy at home in the league then we’re away to Pollok in the quarter- final of the junior Scottish Cup.
“Obviously we’re holders so we have a wee eye on that. The next four or five games are crucial. We’re second or third in the league but we have plenty of games in hand.
“Once the lighter nights come in it will be games on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Mark Shankland is getting married in the middle of June but we’ll still be playing football by then!”