Auchinleck goalkeeper Andy Leishman was delighted to get his mitts on Craig Gordon ’s jersey for his wee man after the Ayrshire side's heroic Scottish Cup run was brought to an end - even if he admitted his side didn’t lay a glove on Hearts.
Talbot's stalwart skipper is the only member of Tommy Sloan’s side to have faced the Jambos in all three of their Scottish Cup meetings in the past decade.
He has no doubt this Hearts side is the best yet as the Ayrshire junior side’s fairytale run came to an abrupt end in the fourth-round .
But there was one last scrapbook moment as Scotland goalkeeper Gordon made a beeline for the giant Talbot number one at full-time and handed over his shirt for his eight-year-old son Oscar.
Leishman said: “My wee boy was the mascot and big Craig made sure I got his shirt at the end. He’d signed it ‘To Oscar from Craig Gordon’ with a wee number one.
“Oscar’s not had it off since! He’s a goalkeeper too for his team in Cumnock. He went for a bath then wanted it straight back on! I’ll get it framed for him.
“It was a brilliant touch because a few of the boys had asked Craig for it but he told them he was keeping it for me. He’s a gentleman and obviously a top, top goalkeeper.
“We had a wee chat about the game and goalkeeping, he’s a class act.”
Leishman was gutted Auchinleck ’s heroic run came to an end in such brutal fashion after a 5-0 drubbing. But after shocking Championship side Hamilton Accies as well as knocking out Preston Athletic and Irvine Meadow on their way to the fourth round he knows Talbot can hold their heads high.
Now it’s back to the West of Scotland League with Sloan’s side on course to lift the title and set-up a play-off for the Lowland League.
And Leishman said: “That’s our third game against Hearts in 10 years but it’s easily the best they’ve been.
“Hearts have quality all over the park and it was backs against the wall.
“But we have got to the fourth round again and the boys can be proud of everything they’ve done.
“It’s back to our bread and butter now. We’ve got Beith, Medda and Pollok in the next three games and if we win them all then we’ll be close.”
