McBookie Super League Premier Division

AUCHINLECK TALBOT 3

IRVINE MEADOW 0

BASEMENT side Meadow's woeful season continued as they were were well beaten by a home side intent on defending their title.

Meadow made the brighter start and threatened the home goal in two minutes. Adam Strachan won a corner off Willie Lyle and when the ball came over Gordon Pope headed it out. It broke to Shaun Fraser whose drive was heading on target until blocked away for a shy.

Talbot were struggling to achieve any fluency and coming up second best so it was a surprise when they took the lead in 11 minutes with their first attack. Bryan Young fired over a corner-kick and Dwayne Hyslop sent an unstoppable header home from six yards.

Meadow kept battling and had had a half chance in 15 minutes when Ryan Deas hooked the ball into the area from the left touchline. It came to Fraser with his back to goal and he let it run across him before turning and firing on target. Leishman failed to hold it but recovered at the second attempt.

Most of the game was being played in Talbot’s half but all Meadow had to show for it was a few corners which came to nothing.

Talbot had a very strong penalty appeal in 21 minutes when a Gordon Pope shot seemed to hit visiting player Kevin Rutkiewicz’s arm but the referee waved play on

The visitors were reduced to 10 men four minutes later after Robert Halliday clashed with Robert Latta out by the standside touchline and as he lay on the turf the Meadow player aimed a kick into his midriff, leaving the referee with no choice but to send him off.

Despite being a man short Meadow were far from out of it and nearly equalised in 34 minutes. Graham Girvan was allowed too much time and space on the right touchline and fired in an accurate cross to find Ryan Deas, whose header was heading to the bottom corner until Leishman dived to save.

Talbot were failing to take advantage of the extra man and as half-time approached Meadow looked the likelier side to score. In 44 minutes Deas whipped a dangerous cross over from the left that skidded off Martin McGoldrick’s head but the ball fled wide

Into first half injury-time and the visitors had one final chance. McGoldrick mishit a clearance behind for a corner. When it came over it was only cleared out to the edge of the area where Wilson shot straight at Leishman.

In 49 minutes former Meadow man Keir Milliken was unlucky not to double Talbot’s lead. Leishman lifted a long ball down the left and Milliken sped forward before thumping a shot past Dan Tobin which crashed off the underside of the bar and bounced out before Deas hooked it clear.

Meadow then threatened in 55 minutes when Deas thumped a powerful shot at goal which Young blocked. The ball came out to Fraser on the right and he fired cross into the centre which Paul Maxwell met but Leishman saved his header at point blank range.

The home defence were caught out in 69 minutes. A diagonal ball found McPherson breaking down the left and he raced into the box and fired wide.

Talbot put paid to any Meadow hopes with a second goal in 71 minutes. Pope whipped a cross into the box which came straight back out to Young and he found James Latta, who ran in behind the defence to stretch out a leg and steer the ball home.

Two minutes later Talbot moved further ahead. A shy from the right came into Shankland who let the hall bounce before crashing home a half volley from 25 yards.

Meadow now made a double switch with Stuart McCann and Paul Maxwell being replaced by Grant Bolton and new boy George Thomson.

Visiting player Adam Strachan was booked in 82 minutes for being adjudged to have dived inside the home box as the hosts easily saw the game out.

IRVINE MEADOW: Tobin; Girvan, Wilson, Evans, Rutkiewicz, Murch, Fraser, Maxwell, Deas, Strachan. Subs: McPherson, Bolton, Halliday, Thomson, Shepherd.