Sloan makes no bones of tough Ford test
TO say that overcoming Auchinleck Talbot in Junior football’s game of the day on Saturday will cap a memorable six months for Hurlford United would be an understatement.
What began with their dramatic 3-2 defeat by Talbot in last season’s Scottish Junior Cup Final has arguably turned out to be the most successful period in the Ford’s history as Darren Henderson and his charges went on to clinch the Ayrshire outfit’s first ever West of Scotland Cup triumph before taking up where they left off by hitting the ground running at the start of this season.
Twelve consecutive league victories were reeled off before a first falter at home to Kilwinning Rangers; however, Hendo’s men have since recovered their mojo and have opened up a 12-point lead at the Premiership summit by remaining undefeated in their next three fixtures while continuing to retain their involvement in the main Cup competitions.
The Blair Park clash is a difficult one to call but it is will certainty be a game of small margins – not least because seventh in the table Auchinleck (having played six games fewer than their opponents) boast a miserly defensive record which has conceded just five to date.
And it follows that if Hurlford are to come out on top in this vital weekend clash then they have to pose significantly more of an attacking threat than what Blantyre Vics, Renfrew (twice), Fraserburgh United, Lesmahagow and Kilwinning Rangers have offered up in recent games against Talbot – notching just two goals between them.
Tommy Sloan will not set his team up differently because even if there was a Plan B, you would still fancy him to plump for a four-man defence.
Talbot’s array of clean sheets is impressive but nevertheless they will miss the qualities of centre-back Ross Harvey, an ever-present this season before picking up a knee injury against Lesmahagow. Sloan said: “Ross has a turn of pace which helps get us out of trouble and it’s disappointing to lose him at this stage of the season however we have decent replacement options in big McCracken and Steven White.”
It is a safe bet that a quiet afternoon is not envisaged for the home team’s rearguard at the other end of the pitch because Auchinleck through the striking handful of Graham Wilson , Sean McIlroy , Jamie Glasgow ,Calvin Kemp and the currently injured Mark Shankland are no slouches in the scoring stakes themselves.
Junior internationalist Wilson in particular , is in a rich vein of scoring form and it will be intriguing to see if Hurlford’s new defensive lynchpin David Barron can handle his aggression and willingness to work his socks off for his team.
Theirs is a head to head that promises to be one of several individual duels going on all over the pitch however collectively Talbot have to lay down a marker to prove they can still catch Hurlford over the second half of the season.
If that seed of doubt is not planted soon …and what better time than Saturday… then West Region officials can place an order for red and white title ribbons around Easter time .
A worry for Hurlford supporters on the team front surrounds the burly Robertson who is trying to shake off a calf muscle problem that has restricted his appearances of late .
United gaffer Henderson said , “Big Ross only lasted 60 minutes in our Cup win over Kilsyth Rangers before breaking down and I don’t want to rush him back just because of this massive game against Talbot .”