Tick, tock ... as ’Lie fight against the clock
Time is running out in bid to beat play-offs
Craig Ritchie
Arthurlie’s struggles continued on Saturday courtesy of a resounding defeat at the hands of high-flying Auchinleck Talbot.
The relegation-threatened Barrhead side just can’t get a run of form going and time is fast running out as they bid to beat the play-offs.
An early chance fell the way of Martin McBride but his wayward free-kick was the start of a frustrating afternoon for the visitors.
From there on in it was one-way traffic towards Grant Hay’s goal and it came as no surprise when Talbot took the lead after eight minutes.
A low ball across the face of the Arthurlie goal was left by everyone but Stephen Wilson, to blast home beyond the helpless Hay.
Sean McIlroy was next to go close, with his effort breaking to Jamie Glasgow, but the midfielder could only fire over the bar.
The post then came to Arthurlie’s rescue when a Mark Shankland freekick smacked off the woodwork, before Dwayne Hyslop’s header bounced just wide.
For all Talbot’s dominance, it could have been 1-1 in 27 minutes when some hesitant defending allowed Lee Roulston tie to shoot – but just wide of goal.
The Ayrshire outfit eventually grabbed their second goal of the game in 38 minutes with a well-worked free-kick after Ryan Scanlon’s foul on Glasgow.
Gordon Pope swung over a fantastic cross and McIlroy showcased his composure to bring the ball down on his chest before placing a low effort into the corner.
Scanlon’s afternoon then came to an abrupt end in the 42 minute when he was dismissed for a second yellow card as Arthurlie’s day went from bad to worse.
’ Lie boss Billy Ogilvie elected to introduce Michael McGoldrick at half time in a bid to shake things up.
But the second half continued in the same vein as the first, with Talbot on the front foot and the ‘Lie defence on the back foot.
The game was effectively ended as a contest in the 51st minute when Talbot added their third goal of the game. McIlroy gathered the ball down the left flank before releasing Pope to cross to the back post.
Glasgow’s volley came crashing back off the bar but there was Hyslop to force home from close range.
Hay then prevented Wilson from adding to Talbot’s lead in the 55th minute. An Arthurlie corner saw Talbot race to the other end when Shankland sent Glasgow racing away on the counter. He fed the ball through to Wilson who nutmegged Michael Daly to go through on Hay but the ‘Lie keeper was quickly off his line.
If their dreams were fading, they soon came crashing down as Arthurlie were reduced to nine men. McGoldrick was booked twice in a matter of minutes, first for tugging back Wilson, before scything him down to pick up two bookings.
Talbot’s fourth goal followed in the 73rd minute as they capitalised on one of their many corners.
Shankland took the corner from the left hand side, angling the ball to the back post to find Wilson in space on the edge of the area to curl a beauty beyond Hay and into the inside of the left post.
That would be the last of the scoring, but further chances would still fall to Shankland and Pope.
Talbot kept the momentum going and nearly added to their lead in the 81st minute. Pope sent Shankland scampering clear down the left and he fired it low across the area to Graham Wilson. It broke off him and came to Logan Campbell who fired a shot at Hay.
Arthurlie: Hay, Burns, McBride, Buchanan, Bohme, Scanlon, Roulston, Lyon, Marks, Daly, MacLennan.
Subs: McKenzie, O’Halloran, Wilson, McGoldrick and Mohamed.