Clydebank 1
Dumbarton 3
League Cup (Group 7)

Match Report

Sons right-half Eddie Ferguson was the man of this match. Playing a magnificent game, aided by Alex McMichael on the left wing, he ripped open the Clydebank defence twice, on the First occasion to bring his team back on even terms with Bankies then to stamp his mark on his team's decisive win.

Sons fans poured into Kilbowie swelling the attendance to well over 3000 to see their team romp home to victory. But Dumbarton did not have it all their own way.

At the beginning of the match Clydebank were nothing short of great. Time after time the home forwards blasted their way through the Dumbarton defence, only to see some excellent shots stopped by 'keeper Anderson or fly harmlessly past the target.

Gerry O'Brien stopped the Dumbarton defence in their tracks in the 14th minute when he made contact with a pass from Ian Hawkshaw just outside the area. O'Brien pivoted on his heel and thundered the ball at the Dumbarton goal but it scratched the top of the bar, letting the Sons off the hook for another few minutes.

Desperation had set in on the Visiting side and if it hadn't been for Alex McMichael. Dumbarton might have said goodbye to all hopes of a victory there and then. Dangerous on the break McMichael drew yells from the crowd on the 17th minute when he lured Madden out to be faced with an open goal. Tommy McGhee saved Clydebank's bacon by running in and heading the ball almost off the line.

In the next ten minutes McMichael kept the 'Bankies defence in a perpetual sweat, breaking away from his own half and hammering shot after shot at Dick Madden.

Despite this onslaught the first goal was scored by Clydebank in the 33rd minute. Tall Alan Munro was the scorer, when he tapped home an O'Brien shot which had been cleared off the Dumbarton goal-line.

Making use of this one-up advantage Clydebank continued to spray the Dumbarton end of the pitch with enthusiastic if not accurate shots, but their joy was short lived.

Disaster for the home team struck only three minutes from half-time. Eddie Ferguson scored with a close header which hit off both uprights before running home!

When the Dumbarton players stepped on to the pitch for the second half they stepped on with vengeance in their hearts and some marvellous football in their feet!

After only three minutes the Sons took the lead and never looked back. The goal was a corker from right winger Alan Watson, Tip-toeing through the Clydebank defence he lured Madden out of position, dribbled on and ran the ball home. You could have heard the cheers at Boghead!

And Dumbarton hadn't finished yet. A transformed team from the first half they had the Clydebank players quaking at the knees, and Dick Madden performing all sorts of acrobatics in his goal.

All credit due to Dick however. He had boobed once or twice in the first half but he more than made up for his mistakes in the second.

Only very occasionally did the Clydebank players manage to pull out of defence and give back a little of what they were suffering.

On one such occasion Bobby Love was very unlucky not to see a beautiful 30-yard shot fly home, Jimmy Caskie had taken the ball up the left wing, he gave Love a square cross, straight across the field, and the resultant shot ran past the left post.

A few minutes after this Love got a knock on the head and had to be taken off. Substitute Paul McMillan was brought on in his place.

The final goal came when Clydebank least expected it, and could do nothing in reply. As the referee put the final whistle to his mouth, Dumbarton were awarded a direct free kick just outside the penalty area. Taking the kick John Graham sent a short pass to Eddie Ferguson who hammered it past Dick Madden.

Match report written by Oliver McGeachy (Clydebank Press)