Largs Thistle 1 Auchinleck Talbot 1


Thistle went agonisingly close to victory against the league leaders in the West of Scotland League.
It was an action packed finale as Largs chased their first victory over Auchinleck since 2011 as some goal-den opportunities came their way.
Even the offside flag came to Talbot's rescue as Largs carved out several close opportunities in the dying moments of this clash.
Auchinleck are traditionally a formidable outfit but it was the big guns who were on the ropes as full-time approached.
Thistle didn't even make any substitutions throughout the 90 as the players fought, harried and disrupted Talbot's play from all angles - before impressively taking the game to them in the final stages.
It was in contrast to a cagey opening as both teams cancelled each other out at times.
The first opportunity of note fell to Stuart Davidson's side as Simon McBryde managed to get space in the box but his curling effort on the angle from the left was deflected wide of target.
Recent signing Wardrope from Irvine Meadow tried his luck from 25 yards with a drilled shot just past the left post but Danny Farrell had it covered.
On 27 minutes, a free kick on the right was launched into the box by Wardrope and McCracken rose above the Thistle defence to head into the top right corner to make it 1-0.


Connor McGoldrick was carefully ushering the ball out of play after a Talbot move had seemingly fizzled out but Jamie Glasgow managed to squirm through near the byeline.
His angle was too tight and the effort was diverted wide by Farrell's foot on 38 minutes
A dangerous corner into the box from Stuart Faulds on the left yielded the equaliser. 
Under pressure a Talbot defender headed back across the face of goal and Will Sewell was in the right place at the right time to head home from just a yard out on 40 minutes.
It was a deserved equaliser given Auchinleck had barely done enough to merit their lead in the first place.

 

A long throw from the left was headed on to Samson who had a clear sight of goal but Cory Hughes sped through to divert, and then Jamie Ballantyne managed to block Wilson's acrobatic effort and then McGoldrick blasted it to safety. It was a good example of the more robust nature of Largs' defensive displays of late.
And then it was a safe pair of hands from Farrell who clasped Wardrope's well struck 30 yard free kick.
Talbot had their best opportunity on 73 minutes after a fast paced cross come shot was blocked by Farrell on the line and the ball spun in the air with McCracken heading over the bar.
Thistle then proceeded to dominate the remainder or this game.
George Sewell galloped down the right wing and put in a dangerous looping cross which a Talbot defender was seemingly stopped but lost his footing and the opportunity suddenly presented itself to Will Sewell but he curled it over the bar.
The striker again showed good initiative as he turned his man in another good Thistle attack but fired over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
With three minutes remaining, Thistle fans were celebrating after McBryde raced on to strike a low effort home from the edge of the box into the net but the offside Hughes got a touch and no goal given. It was an agonising moment and few would have begrudged Thistle the lead.
And in the final minute Craig Forbes burst forward overcoming a cluster of defenders but his follow-up attempt from the edge of the box fizzled wide of the left post.
Largs must take heart from the display going into the final six league games of the season and if they keep up this level of display, and add goals to their game, they can certainly evoke the spirit of The Great Escape of 2015.
LARGS: Farrell, Hughes, McMaster, McGoldrick, Ballantyne, Faulds, G.Sewell, McBryde, W.Sewell, Adam, Forbes. Subs: Duff, McLeod, Docherty, Love, Gray, Zadarnowski.