Berwick Rangers 1
Clydebank 1
League (Division 2)

Match Report

Clydebank finally secured their first league point of the season—though by the end, they may well have felt they deserved all two. After a poor first-half showing, the Bankies turned things around in impressive fashion to earn a 1–1 draw away to Berwick Rangers, and could have snatched an unlikely victory with a late surge.

The afternoon began as many others have this season for Clydebank: under pressure and second best. Berwick controlled much of the first half, and though they were far from clinical, their pressure paid off in the 22nd minute. Dowds scored his first goal of the campaign, tapping home after Clydebank keeper Sandy McLauchlan had parried a fierce shot from Veitch.

Berwick should have added more before the break. McLaren hit the post, and several other chances went begging, while Clydebank struggled to mount any meaningful attacks. Despite some neat build-up play, the visitors lacked punch up front and looked like a side still rooted at the bottom of the table.

But things changed dramatically after the interval. Clydebank came out with renewed purpose and gradually began to assert themselves. New signings McLauchlan in goal and Davie Mitchell at left-half both impressed on their debuts, with Mitchell forcing an early second-half save from Tait. The midfield, led by captain Jim McGill and supported ably by Jenkins and Horn, began to take hold of the game.

The equaliser came in the 75th minute and it was a strike worthy of the occasion. Tommy McGhee picked up a pass from Jenkins, spun quickly, and lashed a 20-yard shot past Tait—a stunning goal that lifted the entire Clydebank side. From there, it was the visitors who looked more likely to score again. Moy came close with a driven effort, and Berwick were forced into a rearguard action as Clydebank pressed for a winner.

For Berwick, this was a performance to forget. With the exception of goalkeeper Ian Tait and defender Doug Coutts, most of the side came in for criticism from their own local press. The home team were guilty of too many misplaced passes, lacked urgency, and looked rattled once Clydebank grew into the game.

The first half had offered hope for Berwick fans, with lively moments from Reid and Lumsden and a spell of dominance that could have put the game to bed. But once Clydebank realised they were facing a team as fallible as themselves, they rose to the challenge—and in the end, made Berwick look second best.

Though just a draw on paper, this was a significant step forward for Clydebank. After a string of defeats, they showed resilience, growing confidence, and, crucially, the ability to turn a game around. With key players beginning to gel and belief growing, the Bankies may finally be finding their feet in senior football.

Match report written by Stuart McBay