New Coin Holdings West of Scotland Cup Second Round

AUCHINLECK TALBOT 1

WHITLETTS VICTORIA 0

A MARK Shankland penalty kick was all that separated the sides and booked Talbot’s place in the last 16 of the New Coin Automatics West of Scotland Cup at Beenchwood Park.

With half an hour gone the former Ayr United youngster was brought down as he tried to go past keeper Aron Dorigo and after referee Calum Haswell pointed to the spot, Shankland dusted himself down to drill the ball past Dorigo for what proved to be the only goal of the game.

But Vics were left feeling hard done to by the match official after he had earlier denied the Ayr side what looked to be a stonewall penalty after Tony Balfour looked to have been tripped by Talbot keeper Andy Leishman as he took the ball round the keeper but on this occasion Haswell waved aside Vics appeals and surprisingly booked Balfour for diving.

It took Vics a long time to settle into the match. Many of their young side looked anxious and overawed by the occasions of playing Scotland’s most successful junior side on their own patch and Talbot looked to take advantage as they had the better of the exchanges in the first period. The hosts would have taken a 17th minute lead but for an outstanding save by Dorigo who parried clear a point blank Dwayne Hyslop header that many in the crowd had already counted.

Hyslop had another chance moments later with a diving header from six yards that he put wide. At this stage Whitletts were rarely seen as an attacking force but in 23 minutes ame that controversial moment when Balfour looked to have been upended in the box. Within a minute Talbot did have the ball in the net after Dorigo parried a Gordon Pope shot but Shankland was in an offside position when he stroked the ball into the net.

Talbot were pressing for the opening goal and Robert Kirkland cleared the danger inside the six-yard box but on the half hour Talbot were awarded the spot kick from which Shankland gave the hosts a deserved lead.

Vics' first sot on target came in 34 minutes with a Balfour volley which was straight at Andy Leishman but most of the goalmouth action was at the other end as Steven White drove just wide and Dorigo again made another fine save at his front post as he parried behind a Dylan Pooler drive.

Having survived the first 45 minutes, Whitletts looked a far more confident outfit after the break and had the better of the play in the second period causing the Talbot defence a few anxious moment but chances at either end were few and far between. Vics were having the better of the midfield exchanges with Louis Kerr and Chris Black looking to create openings but Vics couldn’t find the route to goal with Leishman in commanding form.

Although chances were few and far between anxiety was creeping into the minds of the Talbot faithful and Tommy Sloan introduced strikers Graham Wilson and Keir Milliken. But the best chance of the closing stages fell to Whitletts. With nine minutes remaining a Black cross picked out substitute Ali Boyle. The Vics youngster took the ball inside the full back to create an opening but shot straight at Leishman.

So it’s Talbot name that goes into the hat for the third round but Whitletts will take a lot of confidence and encouragement from this display and will hopefully se it in their remaining league fixtures as return to the bread and butter action against Ardeer at Dam Park on Saturday, looking to keep their promotion drive on course for the Super League.

WHTLETTS VICTORIA: Dorigo; Anderson, Ewart, Kirkland, Buchanan, Sloan, Cameron, Black, Balfour (Boyd 59); Kerr; Kennedy (Boyle 76) Sub not used: Cunningham.