BEITH ended up on the wrong side of a thumping defeat at the home of the champions after a contest where they competed well for a reasonable chunk of the game but capitulated badly when they were reduced to 10 men.

The home side got to grips with a tricky wind best and Keir Milliken should have scored from a quick attack in the 11th minute but shot past with only Adam Strain to beat.

Play continued to flow mainly towards the Beith goal and it was no surprise when the home side went in front after David Gormley beat David Donnelly to cross for Graham Wilson to pass the ball home from a few yards.

Beith were finding chances hard to come by but McLean went close with a curling shot after he made some space for himself just outside the box. Talbot continued to have the bulk of possession however and they doubled their lead in the 24th minute when Gormley rose virtually unchallenged to head home an inviting Spence corner.

Beith then had a decent spell forcing a few corners of their own and from one Andy Leishman had to pull off a great save to touch a powerful Zander Ryan shot over the bar.

The visitors had to reorganise when centre back Donnelly limped off to be replaced by Joe Bradley. Wilson passed up a another clear chance for Talbot heading wide in front of goal before Beith got themselves back into the match from out of the blue when Darren Christie found the top corner with a shot from outside the box with the aid of a slight deflection.

Johnny Millar’s men clearly got a lift from the goal and MacDonald and Christie went close with efforts before they somehow got themselves level just before the break when Andy Reid converted from the penalty spot after a Bradley shot was stopped by a hand in the box.

Beith’s rejuvenated hopes were quickly dashed minutes after the restart when Ryan stupidly bundled over Milliken on the byline in the box. Wilson scored from the spot but Strain will be disappointed not to have kept the shot out after getting a hand to the ball before it spun over line.

Beith tried hard to respond again and they went close with decent efforts from Christie, MacDonald and Docherty before the contest was effectively ended by referee Lowe when he showed a red card to Nicky Docherty for a challenge in front of the vocal home dug out that clearly merited no more than a yellow.

Beith’s resistance crumbled in the last 20 minutes and the floodgates duly opened when McShane fouled Gormley and the quickly taken free-kick allowed Milliken to cross for Wilson to score easily. Another arrived when Gordon Pope was allowed to advance at his leisure to fire in a swerving shot from 25 yards that ended up in the top corner. Deadly Wilson was then on hand again in front of goals to nod home a Paul Hyslop cross for number six with Talbot in total control. Powder puff defending contributed to number seven when Wilson bagged his own fifth when he got a touch on a slow motion cross to force the ball through Strain at the near post. The visitors embarrassment was thankfully ended after Milliken waltzed in off the right wing to fire a shot across Strain into the far corner.

Beith fans probably had fairly low expectations going into this match with a side that has been shipping goals galore but they will be looking for a significant response for their next two, already crucial, home matches to help erase this particular memory.

AUCHINLECK TALBOT: Leishman; Latta, Pope, Lyle, Campbell, Spence, Milliken, White, Wilson, Gormley, Hyslop. Subs: McCracken, Armour, Park, Young, Lavan.

BEITH: Strain; Ryan, Wilson, Donnelly, McShane, MacDonald, Christie, Frize, McLean, Reid, Docherty. Subs: Bradley, McKeown, McGowan, Sheridan.

For the full story see this week's Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald.