IRVINE VICTORIA (Victoria Park)

AYRSHIRE CHALLENGE CUP SEMI-FINAL, IRVINE VICTORIA 1-5 AUCHINLECK TALBOT, ATTENDANCE: 310 (h/c)

My end of season trips North of the Border continued today with a journey to the Ayrshire coast. Irvine Victoria were hosting Auchinleck Talbot in an Ayrshire Cup semi-final clash, for the right to play Hurlford United in the final.

Formed in 1904, Irvine Victoria have been at their Cochrane Street home since 1937, the ground is now known as Victoria Park. They are most certainly the towns second team behind rivals Irvine Meadow.

The ground is basically two sided with a couple of bits of terracing behind one goal and a couple of bits of cover down one touchline. The other touchline is tight up against a railway embankment. The ground is quite ramshackle, I thought it looked absolutely fanstastic!

Irvine Victoria were Ayrshire District League Champions in 2014 but after just one season in the Super League First Division they have been relegated back to the District League. In contrast visitors Auchinleck have won the Super League Premier Division for the third year in a row and will also play Musselburgh Athletic in the Junior Cup Final next weekend.

On paper, this looked a formality for The Bots, especially after a midweek 7-0 win over Kilbirnie in the last round. So it proved.

Auchinleck were 2-0 up at the break, thanks to goals from Brian Young and Mark Shankland, and looked threatening everytime they went forward.

The Vics tried their hardest and did carve out a few half chances but further second half goals from Shankland, who completed a hat-trick, and Graham Wilson cemented the victory for Auchinleck. If it wasn't for the superb performance in goal of Victoria's player of the season Chris Lamb, the score may have been at least double what it was.

Irvine Victoria did get themselves on the scoresheet with virtually the last kick of the game when David Adams picked himself up to score from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Andrew Leishman, who was also sent off.

AUCHINLECK TALBOT (Beechwood Park)

SCOTTISH CUP 1ST ROUND, AUCHINLECK TALBOT 5-0 BUCKIE THISTLE, ATTENDANCE: 800 (est)

A painting in the ground to
commemorate Auchinleck's record
10 Scottish Junior Cup wins

This weekend, possibly for the last time with Scotland as part of the UK, I made my way north to East Ayrshire, 

In my eyes this was the tie of the round as the West Superleague Champions Auchinleck Talbot took on Highland League heavyweights Buckie Thistle. 

The Bots have good recent form in the Scottish Cup reaching the 3rd round in 2010 (losing 2-1 at Stirling Albion) and the 4th round in 2012 (losing 1-0 at Hearts).

Auchinleck is a former mining village a couple of miles north of Cumnock. As I drove through the main street to the football ground there did not seem to be a lot going on. The football club though was absolutely heaving with people and clearly seems to be at the heart of the community.

The club are named in honour of Richard Wogan Talbot, the 5th Baron of Malahide, who died 1921, who gifted the then fledgling football club a football ground, hence the name Auchinleck Talbot.

Beechwood Park is still their home to this day and is certainly up there in the list of top Junior grounds I have visited. 

The main stand was once part of Hamilton Academical's Douglas Park and was purchased in the mid 1990's when the Accies old ground was demolished.

The Bots have had a fine start to their season winning 10 out of 10 in all competitions, whilst the The Jags have had a mixed start in the Highland League, winning 4 out of their 8 games so far and last week drew with perennial whipping boys Strathspey Thistle.


The Highland league team started brightly and it was somewhat against the early run of play that Auchinleck took an 8th minute lead courtesy of Graham Wilson's 16th goal of the season. 

Buckie had a couple of half chances but would have considered themselves lucky to be only one goal down at the break after Auchinleck hit the post and squandered a hatful of chances to extend their lead.

They weren't so lucky in the second half as the home side went nap. Once Martin McGoldrick (54) had scored to make it 2-0 the floodgates well and truly opened. 

Further goals from Steven White (60) Gordon Pope (69) and substitute Kenny Connolly (75 - the pick of the bunch) made it 5-0 and, in truth, it could easily have been double that.

A pretty comfortable win for Auchinleck where they will now face a trip to Edinburgh City in round 2.

POLLOK (League Champions Cup Final 2013 @ Newlandsfield Park)

POLLOK - LEAGUE CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL, HURLFORD UNITED 0-3 AUCHINLECK TALBOT, ATTENDANCE: 783

Season 2012/13 finally concluded with one last trip to Scotland. Glasgow was today's destination as Hurlford United took on Auchinleck Talbot in the League Champions Cup Final at Pollok.

As is usually the case for most of the cup finals in the West Region, Newlandsfield Park was the choice of venue for the final.

The ground is situated adjacent to Pollokshaws East train station and is more or less landlocked by flats and a supermarket.

The ground is yet another fine example of a Scottish Junior ground. Opened in 1928, Newlandsfield Park has a capacity of 4,000 and the large stand can hold up 1,500. The social club is outside the ground but I chose the 5 minute walk to the local Wetherspoon's for my pre-match beverage.

The format of the competition has changed where before it was the West Region's Cup Winners and League Champions, it is now just the Champions. Today pitted the Super League Premier Champions (Auchinleck) against the Super League First Division Champions, (Hurlford). Today was the first all Ayrshire final since clubs from Ayr were admitted into the competition in 2002.



Hurlford provide a guard of honour for
2013 Junior Cup Winners Auchinleck



Auchinleck came into the game fresh from winning Scottish Junior Football's top prize, the Junior Cup itself, after beating Linlithgow Rose 1-0 at Livingston last Sunday.

It would be a big ask for Hurlford United for to win today and so it proved as they were comprehensively outclassed by Auchinleck, who gave the impression of of team that did really have to go through the gears to win the match and trophy.

Two first half goals from Ray Montgomery (22 & 27) put the 'Bot in control. Any hopes Hurlford had of a comeback were dashed on 55 minutes John Craig was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge. An own goal 11 minutes from time sealed the win for the Beechwood Park men.

An enjoyable finale to season 2012/13, spent in very good company, even if the game was a little anti-climatic.

   



2013 Evening Times Cup Winners - Auchinleck Talbot



In a shock move I've claimed my seat back and returned to the fold at Goodison Park for Roberto Martinez's debut season, so this is going to curtail my groundhopping a little.

It's goodbye for now, Thanks for reading.

Chris :)