No.1 FOR JUNIORS Scottish Cup dream over as Lok are slain by Sloan’s slick Bot
AUCHINLECK Talbot are i n the Scottish Junior Cup quarter finals and it has to be said it’s where they deserve to be.
Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Pollok in an absorbing fifthround contest was every bit as convincing as the scoreline suggests – even though two late goals from sub Jamie Glasgow were needed to seal the Ayrshiremen’s latest march into the Holy Grail’s latter stages.
Auchinleck got their noses in front from the penalty spot with 20 minutes played after ex-Talbot midfielder Bryan Young caught former teammate Stevie Wilson’s foot at an attempted clearance and Wilson got up to tuck the ball home from the spot.
Auchinleck came close again with Mark Shankland and Graham Wilson efforts before surviving a scare when Adam Forde wasted a great opportunity at the back post by heading tamely into the arms of goalkeeper Andy Leishman.
Nicky Little coming on to replace a limping Ross Brash did little to affect the territorial dominance of the home side whose reward arrived with a killer second goal almost on the interval by full-back Gordon Pope whose supporting run saw him perfectly positioned to receive a Dwayne Hyslop lay-off some 22 yards out and hammer an unstoppable shot beyond diving Pollok keeper Jordan Longmuir.
The home side continued where they left off in the second half but Pollok held firm and approaching the hour mark only a superb one-handed diving save by Leishamn kept Little’s curling shot from heading into the top corner and the giant keeper again came to his side’s rescue when parrying away a David Gormley shot.
Auchinleck almost put the game to bed with a Shankland trademark free-kick that rebounded off the crossbar and Longmuir also denied Graham Wilson and Sean McElroy in what was the tiring front man’s last act before being replaced by Glasgow – who hadn’t even touched the ball before Pollok scored at an 83rd-minute Stefan corner, as Young atoned for his earlier gaffe by bravely diverting the ball home with a near post diving header that halved the visitors’ deficit.
However their Cup dreams were crushed just two minutes later when Glasgow picked up a Shankland flick and ran through to clip a right-foot shot past Longmuir for 3-1. And in the final minute he was again perfectly placed to pounce on a rebound from a Stevie Wilson shot to round off the scoring.
Talbot boss Sloan said: “It’s a luxury having someone like Jamie to throw into the mix but he’d probably have started if there was not a worry over the hamstring.
“Jamie insisted that he was fully fit but I was reluctant to risk losing him longer term but I would have to say he was right after that quite electric 10 minutes on the pitch.”
POSING the question to Tucker of whether his Auchinleck Talbot side are on the verge of a 12th Scottish Cup win evoked a measured response.
He said: “We have done nothing other than earn a place in the quarter finals so it’s important we don’t get too far ahead of ourselves.
“To beat a very good Pollok side in the manner we did is pleasing and I was happy with large phases of our game out there – particularly first half.”
Also into the last eight are Rob Roy following a dramatic 4-3 comeback against Linlithgow Rose – who were 3-0 to the good after half an hour’s play at Guys Meadow.
Roddy McLennan, Martyn Shields and Tommy Coyne (pen) had the East Region outfit coasting but a 35th-minute wonder free-kick from Gavin Mackie galvanised the Rabs and they managed to get back on level terms before the interval with Gary Carroll (pen) and Kevin Watt counters.
The second-half dismissal of Shields left the Rose fighting for survival but their resistance was ended by a 90th-minute strike by Willie Sawyers.
Paul McKenzie netted the only goal of the game as Hurlford United got the better of Sauchie while East Region league leaders Bonnyrigg Rose fell to a 2-1 reverse at home to Beith who had trailed to a Dean Hoskins penalty kick goal until the closing stages.
A Connor McGlinchey spot kick levelled before Martin McLaughlin headed home an injury-time winner that led to three Bonnyrigg red cards to go along with the two sent off in regulation time.
Arthurlie lost 3-0 away to Carnoustie Panmure and the same scoreline ensued at Valefield where Bo’ness United came out on top against Kilbirnie Ladeside, who had John Sweeney sent off for saving a certain score.
Will Snowdon netted the resulting penalty kick and scored again from the spot with Stuart Hunter also on target for the visitors.