Auchinleck Talbot hoping to face big boys

Jun 5 2009

THEY might be a village of just over 3800 stalwarts.

But centenary celebrating Auchinleck are only one game away from rubbing shoulders with the big boys of Scottish football.

And they're dreaming of following in the footsteps of Lochee United who took Ayr United to a replay in a nerve jangling Scottish Cup marathon last December.

Talbot's prize for a record eighth Scottish Junior Cup win is a first round place in next season's senior cup. And with SFL teams coming in a round later, no one will fancy a trip to the fortress that is Beechwood Park.

Tommy Sloan's black and gold army thoroughly deserved their 2-1 win over Clydebank which makes it all possible. The noisy fans made up the bulk of the 8192 crowd which was one of Rugby Park's best of the season. And they call this the juniors.

It was Sloan's second Scottish Cup success since taking charge almost six years ago and on the evidence of Sunday's sunshine spree, there's much more to come.

Sloan reflected: “Some managers don’t get the chance to win the cup once never mind twice so it’s a sweet feeling. We won’t get carried away as it could have gone either way right up to the end.

“The biggest thing for me is to get the chance to test ourselves in the senior Scottish Cup.”

Despite the searing seat, Auchinleck never took their foot off the gas. And even when they surrendered the lead, they came back for more and finished the stronger.

The immaculate Craig Pettigrew and fellow central defender Gavin Collins were defensive linchpins around which the win was built. And they surely impressed Scotland boss Keith Burgess who will name his national team to play Eire in September.

Bryan Young's flashy red boots caught the eye in midfield alongside former Gretna man Colin Spence and man of the match Stuart Davidson.

Up front, 11 goal Sean McIlroy, the tournament's top scorer, worked tirelessly with former Airdrie and Ayr striker David Gillies.

Talbot survived an early scare when John Jack missed with a back post header to bare their teeth in 20 minutes. Young played a short corner to Liam McVey and his cross gave Pettigrew a header which keeper Stefan Gonet tipped over.

It was goalless at the break and the fear was that the soaring temperatures would take their toll in the second-half. But don't you believe it.

Bankies forced two cracking saves in a minute from Adam Strain before Talbot grabbed the lead in 59 minutes. Pettigrew broke down the right and checked back inside before sweeping a cross to the far stick where McIlroy rose to head home. And that we thought was that.

But Bankies hadn't come this far to tamely throw in the towel and former Alloa striker Chris Mackie, who was always a hot handful, headed home a Charlie Hobbs cross for the equaliser eight minutes later.

Stevie Mallan, still a spring chicken at 42, came off the bench for McIlroy and was on the park only four minutes when Talbot regained the lead. Davidson, who began his career at Kilmarnock, was to enjoy a Rugby Park moment to remember, when he smashed the winner through a crowded penalty box.

There was a fright when skipper Bryan Slavin and Collins clashed heads, leaving both groggy and Collins sporting blood from a wound that the Bankies physio sportingly attended to while Mick McGinn saw to Slavin. But both bravely battled on.

Four minutes of stoppage time had to be endured with Talbot sweating right to the death. Deep in added time, Strain was a hero as he dashed from his line to force Mark Hailstones to blaze the ball wide just as he had the chance to force the tie into punishing overtime.

AUCHINLECK - Strain; Latta, McVey; Pettigrew, Collins, Spence (White 78); Young, Slavin, McIlroy (Mallan 72), Gillies, Davidson. Unused subs: Robb, McCrae, Black.

CLYDEBANK - Gonet; Allum, Lynn; Blair, Soutar, McInnes; Smith, Jack, Mackie, Hobbs, Hailstones. Subs: Anderson, Cunningham, Selkirk, Scobie, Rushford.

Referee - John Beaton; Crowd - 8192.