Player statistic
| 23' |  |
Neil McPherson | ||
| 25' | |
Cameron Keay | ||
| 39' | |
Cameron Keay | ||
| 45' | |
Kyle McAvoy |
On an historic night for the club, Johnstone Burgh suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to a ruthless Auchinleck Talbot side under the lights at Keanie Park, Johnstone.
Johnstone Burgh manager Murdo MacKinnon made two changes to the team that started the 1-0 win over Dundee Violet at the weekend. Cammy Eadie came in for Danny O’Neill and Del Esplin replaced Leon Murphy.
The Burgh started well and had the first attempt at goal in the 9th minute, following a good run from Kian Gilday on the left-hand side. However, his well struck shot from 12 yards was saved by Talbot goalkeeper Jordan Longmuir.
Burgh midfielder Ian McShane had a great chance to give the home side the lead in the 14th minute. Aaron Mason provided a fine pass to the former East Kilbride man, but his powerful right foot shot from 16 yards flew just over the crossbar.
Johnstone Burgh winger Aaron Mason, who recently signed a new deal with the club, had a fine effort from 25 yards deflected just wide of the left-hand post on the 20 minute mark. Just one minute later, Mason came even closer to opening the scoring. He found space 20 yards from goal and unleashed a great strike which hit the top of the crossbar.
Auchinleck Talbot, who had a fairly quiet start to the match, came to life in the 22nd minute as Luke Main had a sight of goal from seven yards. However, his effort was brilliantly blocked by Burgh captain Del Esplin.
From the resulting corner, Auchinleck Talbot took the lead through captain Neill McPherson, whose downward header found the net from eight yards in the 23rd minute.
Talbot’s tails were up and they scored their second goal of the evening in the 26th minute. A quick, dangerous attack down the right-hand side was finished brilliantly by Cameron Keay, who fired the ball past Burgh goalkeeper Luke Scullion from 12 yards, leaving him with no chance.
Blair Rossiter had a half chance for the Burgh on the half hour mark, but his shot from 10 yards was well blocked by a Talbot defender.
Auchinleck Talbot were looking for a third and came close through Kyle McAvoy, who fired his low shot just wide of the left-hand post from 10 yards following a powerful run in the 35th minute.
Things went from bad to worse for Johnstone Burgh as they went 3-0 down in the 39th minute. Kian Gilday appeared to be in control following a long high ball down the middle, but he stumbled around 30 yards from goal. Cameron Keay took full advantage, running through on goal and producing a clinical right foot finish from 16 yards for his second goal of the night.
Johnstone Burgh captain Del Esplin found space around 20 yards from goal, but his shot went well over the crossbar in the 45th minute.
Talbot had the final say of the first half in the second minute of added time. The impressive Kyle McAvoy produced a lovely bit of skill before firing an unstoppable low shot into the bottom right-hand corner from 20 yards to put Auchinleck Talbot 4-0 up at half-time.
Half-time: 0-4
The second half was a much lower key affair.
Auchinleck Talbot’s Ross Clark came close to scoring, but his well struck shot from 14 yards was well saved by Luke Scullion in the 63rd minute.
Next to threaten was Talbot’s Scott Schoneville, whose shot from around 40 yards flew well over the crossbar in the 68th minute. A minute later, Aaron Mason had a sight of goal, but his effort from 30 yards drifted over.
Kyle Lafferty, who replaced Ian McShane at half-time, had a chance from a free kick around 25 yards from goal, but his right foot strike went well over the crossbar with 73 minutes played.
In the 74th minute, Talbot came close to adding a fifth, but Luke Scullion did well to save a powerful shot from just inside the box.
The final chance of the match fell to Auchinleck Talbot, but Ross Clark’s shot from eight yards hit the side netting in the 83rd minute.
The final whistle confirmed a convincing 4-0 win for Auchinleck Talbot, who take the three points back down the road to Auchinleck.
After the defeat, Johnstone Burgh remain ninth in the WoSFL Premier Division on 24 points after 12 games played.
Full-time: 0-4
Johnstone Burgh starting XI:
Scullion; King (O’Neill 46), Gilday, Eadie, Forrester; Esplin (C) (McDonald 78), Rossiter (Christie 74), Faulds; Diver (MacKenzie 58), McShane (Lafferty 46), Mason.
Auchinleck Talbot starting XI:
Longmuir; Clark, Schoneville, Wood, McPherson (C), Gillies (Abed 85), Sime, Main, Keay (Boyd 68), McAvoy (Thomson 78), Crooks (Kerr 85).
Man of the match: Aaron Mason
Next up for Johnstone Burgh is a trip to Newlandsfield Park to face Pollok in the WoSFL Premier Division on Saturday 28th February at 2pm.