Clydebank 1
Berwick Rangers 1
League (Division 2)

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Clydebank
1 - 1
 Berwick Rangers

League (Division 2)
Saturday, September 21st, 1968
New Kilbowie Park. Att. 1,135
3:00 PM Kick-off
Goalscorers
Ian Hawkshaw (pen.)  (5)
Bobby Jones (81)

Team Managers
Jack Steedman
 Unknown.

Starting Eleven
1 Dick Madden
2 Graeme Brockett
3 Jim Fallon
4 Ernie Collumbine
5 Dennis Ruddy
6 Dougie Hay
7 John McGunnigle
8 Gerry O'Brien
9 Alan Munro
10 Ian Hawkshaw
11 Jimmy Caskie
 Jock Wallace 1
Davie Paterson 2
Gordon Haig 3
Tom Logan 4
Jake Smith 5
John Keith 6
John Hamilton 7
John Brown 8
Jim Hamilton 9
Ken Bowron 10
Kenny Dowds 11

Bench
12 Danny Gray
 Bobby Jones 12

Substitutions
None. Bobby Jones -> Jake Smith (42)

Cautions
None. None.

Red Cards
None. None.
Match Officials

W Balfour (Referee)



Match Report

Clydebank Press

A penalty in the fifth minute gave Clydebank an early lead, which they managed to hold on to for the whole of the first half.

Berwick looked pretty poor, their passing was not up to much, and their defence could have been blown over had it not been for keeper/manager Jock Wallace holding them together, But they surprised Bankies by proving to be far the stronger team in the second half.

Clydebank fielded their minor wizard team, with only one exception, Eddie Rutherford, who has injury trouble, was replaced by McGunnigle.

The great penalty which put Clydebank in front came when big Alan Munro, the Clydebank centre forward, was running in from the left wing. He was brought down heavily just inside the box and referee Balfour pointed to the spot.

Ian Hawkshaw took the kick and sent it low into the right hand corner of the net.

Clydebank failed to make the best of this penalty; the Berwick lads were obviously stunned by it; their defence were split wide open; and yet Clydebank didn't get near the goal until Hawkshaw ran through in the 15th minute.

He tried to dribble his way into the Berwick area but finally plumped for a 20 yard shot which went past the right post.

This shot helped the Clydebank youngsters on their way and it was not long before their shots began to find the mark, and they were coming more frequently.

Hay shook the Berwick defence when he picked up a McGunnigle pass which he sharply blasted at Jock Wallace in the 20th minute.

This shot was taken from almost 50 yards out, nearly at the centre line, and it came close enough to give Jock Wallace a hair cut.

Bad luck struck Berwick in the 35th minute when centre forward Jim Hamilton had to come off to the sidelines with a right knee injury.

While Jim was on the sidelines Berwick centre half Smith came down with a leg injury or cramp. Substitute Jones was brought on. Jim Hamilton managed to complete the game, although limping badly.

Right from the second half whistle it was obvious that Berwick had shrugged off their "first half blues" and were looking for some action.

I think this frightened the Clydebank lads who through inexperience, lost themselves trying to hold the visitors back.

Dick Madden was really tested for the first time in the 52nd minute when outside left Dowds picked up a Jones cross which he smashed at the Clydebank goal. Its just as well Dick Madden had quick reflexes.

Five minutes later, inside left Brown tried to head home a right wing cross from close in, but Dick Madden punched it clear.

Clydebank had been looking pretty lax until now but things were getting difficult and they were forced to form up.

The Berwick goal came from a Hamilton pass in the 81st minute. Substitute Jones was nicely positioned close into the Clydebank goal and he only needed to tap the ball to put it past Dick Madden.

Both teams had something to fight for now, and for the first time the game began to look really lively. Both sets of forwards had got into the swing of things and the ball was sent all over the pitch on several occasions bouncing off the uprights and crossbars of both goals.

Young Jimmy Caskie, playing at outside left for Clydebank, nearly put one home from a right wing corner near the end of the game.

The ball was crossed in, Caskie was standing at the outer edge of the Berwick defence and he lobbed the ball over their heads at the goal.

Jock Wallace leaped at the ball and knocked it over the bar for another corner, which was easily cleared.

This was not one of Clydebank's best games by any means. By the same token Berwick were nothing like the team that beat Bankies 4-2 at Kilbowie last month in the League Cup.

Berwick Advertiser

Any satisfaction that Berwick Rangers gained from a fighting performance to save a point must be tempered by the news that Jake Smith, one of the key men of the side, is likely to be out for some time with a groin injury.

Now, Berwick have Craig who is injured and unlikely to make an imminent return. Smith and Coutts also injured and Coutts and Smith who, between them form one of the best double centre-half partnerships in the Second Division have played only seven games between them!

In the circumstances, to come back from Kilbowie Park with a point was a good effort, but Rangers can hardly be pleased with themselves. They carved out enough chances in the second half to have won comfortably. but missed them all.

Clydebank were shocked because they had anticipated that their teenagers - seven of them - would "run the legs" off Berwick in the last 20 minutes, But the Rangers, trained to finish strongly, were able to shrug off the challenge and it was largely due to their own feckless finishing that they had to wait until the last nine minutes before finding the net.

Wallace had a fine game in the Rangers goal, and until his injury Smith was in great form in the middle. Logan started quietly, gave away a penalty with a silly tackle, but shrugged off this misfortune and came on to play a very valuable part in turning the balance of pressure. Keith, who has run into top form. also did well and he was particularly impressive when he started to come through as an extra forward.

The backs were sound, and it is good to see Gordon Haig fighting his way out of that bad spell and settling down to his normal efficiency.

Up front, Berwick played plenty of good football, but for once the goal-snatching flair deserted Ken Bowron. He led the line intelligently, got into position for his shots, but could not get them past the brilliant Madden. Jim Hamilton, too, was right off target and this pair could have won the game with a little more luck and accuracy.

Johnny Hamilton has never played better for Berwick, He was constantly troubling the Clydebank defence and fittingly, he laid on the equaliser and the fact that he got among the goals at last must bring encouragement to Bobby Jones who has yet to show the Shielfield fans anything like his true form. Brown, dropping back when Smith was hurt, again gave a workmanlike performance in a demanding role.

Clydebank, with so many youngsters in their ranks, are already showing signs of developing into a more than useful side and they played some good football. They were much more dangerous than in either of their previous appearances against Berwick, who have beaten them twice this season.

Caskie is progressing rapidly into a clever winger, and Ian Hawkshaw is the man who makes the attack tick with his shrewd prompting. In defence Madden was an outstanding 'keeper and Columbine and Ruddy played very well.

In the first 30 minutes, when neither Logan nor Keith had struck their best form. Clydebank had the better of the play and it was Smith's powerful clearances and Wallace's fine goalkeeping which kept them out, They did score once early on when Logan pushed Munro as he went into the tackle and Hawkshaw made no mistake from the spot, then Caskie got through and saw Wallace make a great save at full stretch.

The Rangers had two great chances to draw level, but first Bowron missed with the goal at his mercy then Jim Hamilton headed a Bowron pass over the top with only Madden to beat. When the 'keeper made a great one-handed save from "wee Hammy", the 'Bankies were able to go in at half-time with a one-goal advantage. Jim Hamilton, who had limped off with a leg injury, returned, but Berwick took the field in the second half with Brown back among the defenders. Jones in the attack and Smith off.

It says a great deal for Rangers adaptability and fighting spirit that they not only held the Bankies but turned on the pressure.

With Johnny Hamilton roaming around all over the field. creating chances. Berwick had Madden in constant action but they could not get the goal they needed. Only nine minutes remained when at long last Jones got that lethal left foot working and he hammered in a Hamilton pass. In the dying minutes, both Bowron and Jones saw Madden rescue Clydebank with good saves as Rangers fought for the winner.



Squad Statistics (as at September 21st, 1968)

1968-69 All Time
League Cups All
Dick Madden (GK) 7 - 6 - 49 -
Graeme Brockett 6 - 1 - 7 -
Ernie Collumbine 7 - 52912
Ian Hawkshaw 7562137
Jim Fallon 6 - 2 - 8 -
Dennis Ruddy 7 - 6 - 17 -
Dougie Hay 7 - 4 - 251
Jimmy Caskie 613 - 152
Gerry O'Brien 7 - 6 - 16 -
John McGunnigle 2 - 6181
Alan Munro 642 - 84







Recent Results

League results since Clydebank's last match
21st September 1968
Ayr Utd1-5Queen's Park
Brechin City1-4Albion Rovers
Clydebank1-1Berwick Rangers
East Fife1-1Queen of South
East Stirlingshire4-1Dumbarton
Forfar Ath1-1Alloa Athletic
Hamilton Accies4-4Montrose
Stenhousemuir1-6Motherwell
Stranraer0-1Cowdenbeath

League Table (as at September 21st, 1968)

Pld W D L +/- Pts
1. East Stirlingshire 6 5 1 0 +17 11
2. Queen of South 7 5 1 1 +11 11
3. Stirling Albion 5 5 0 0 +8 10
4. Albion Rovers 6 5 0 1 +2 10
5. Motherwell 5 4 0 1 +15 8
6. East Fife 6 2 3 1 +1 7
7. Forfar Ath 5 2 2 1 +2 6
8. Clydebank 7 1 4 2 -1 6
9. Ayr Utd 5 3 0 2 -1 6
10. Stranraer 5 2 1 2 +2 5
11. Brechin City 5 2 1 2 -2 5
12. Montrose 7 2 1 4 -3 5
13. Berwick Rangers 7 2 1 4 -5 5
14. Hamilton Accies 6 1 2 3 -3 4
15. Cowdenbeath 7 1 2 4 -4 4
16. Alloa Athletic 7 1 2 4 -6 4
17. Dumbarton 6 1 1 4 -7 3
18. Queen's Park 7 1 1 5 -9 3
19. Stenhousemuir 5 0 1 4 -17 1