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Stirling Albion 5
Clydebank 2
League (Division 2)

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Stirling Albion 

5 - 2

Clydebank

League (Division 2)
Saturday, December 27th, 1969
Annfield Stadium. Att. 1,166
3:00 PM Kick-off

Goalscorers
Matt McPhee (23)
Matt McPhee (30)
John Corrigan (42)
Joe Hughes (55)
Bobby Grant (71) 		Alan Munro  (6)
Tommy McGhee  (40)

Team Managers
Frank Joyner Jack Steedman

Starting Eleven
1 George Young
2 David Grant
3 Jim Hancock
4 Sammy Henderson
5 John Corrigan
6 Jim Logan
7 Matt McPhee
8 Bobby Grant
9 Joe Hughes
10 Terry Christie
11 Billy Armstrong 		Mike McDonald 1
Davie Mitchell 2
Danny Gray 3
Dennis Ruddy 4
Jim Fallon 5
Dougie Hay 6
Gerry O'Brien 7
Bobby Love 8
Tommy McGhee 9
Alan Munro 10
Jimmy Caskie 11

Bench
12 Billy Paul Paul McMillan 12

Substitutions
Billy Paul -> Joe Hughes (63) Paul McMillan for Mike McDonald (17)

Cautions
None. None.

Red Cards
None. None.

Match Officials

Iain Bain (Referee)
JRS Renton & A Grant (Assistants)




Match Report

Clydebank Press

"Best of a bad lot." That's Jack Steedman's comment on Alan Munro's goalkeeping, after the usually goal-scoring inside-forward was put between the sticks to try his best to keep the ball out the net, after Mick McDonald injured his shoulder in a fall in the goalmouth.

It was Munro who opened the scoring for Clydebank in seven minutes when he tried a pot shot that was deflected from a defender past the keeper.

After McDonald was carried off, Albion hit two goals before McGhee equalised, but three minutes later Albion were back in the lead.

In the second half, Munro handled the ball five times-twice to pick the ball out of the net!

Although the 'Bankies had most of the play they just couldn't find an opening in the Albion defence. They adapted themselves much better to the conditions than the home team and at the beginning it looked as though they were going to take Albion to the cleaners.

Director-manager Jack Steedman best sums up the match with these few words, "The final result was a travesty on the run of play."

Stirling Observer

The Albion, as all other teams, like to win. But we are sure they would have preferred their Christmas Box bonus of a couple of points from Clydebank at Annfield on Saturday to have come in a wrapping that wasn't weighted, in the luck of the game, just so much against Clydebank.

The Bankies in their ability to adapt to the "icy slopes" condition of Annfield, were superior during most of the game to the Albion and did not deserve to lose by five goals to two. Clydebank's greatest misfortune-even more so for the player-was the loss of goalkeeper Mike McDonald in the 17th minute. He received a serious shoulder injury when he fell awkwardly on the hard ground and did not return. It was a coincidence that Munro, the forward who had just given them the lead in the sixth minute, was called on to deputise. Even at that, Albion were lucky to be a goal up at half-time-3-2-and it was only when Joe Hughes had scored Stirling's fourth goal ten minutes after the restart that the visitors folded and could not again produce their aggressive approach for goals.

The Albion cannot be blamed for cashing in on another teams misfortunes-and there is always a risk of accidents of this nature taking place when heavy-frosted pitches of this kind are considered playable. It could have happened to an Albion player.

Tribute must go, however, under these conditions to players who can manage to play entertaining football-without slamming those who can't.

Clydebank had more players who could do it better than had the Albion. Their well balanced, handy-sized. wingers, O'Brien and Caskie, son of Jimmy Caskie, the former St. Johnstone and Rangers winger, were always a bother to the Albion defenders. McGhee, along with Munro before he had to take over goal, were also always liable to produce a goal. Their right-back and left-half, Hay were also impressive in forcing on attacks.

The two Grants-Dave and Bobby were the best balanced and most successful of the Stirling players. The only other forward to match up in effectiveness was Matt McPhee, whose straight running did pay off, along with his shooting.

The other key man for the Albion was goalkeeper George Young. After losing an awkward deflected goal early on, he settled down to some excellent saving on the hard ground, and this game showed what the loss of an experienced goalkeeper can mean under treacherous conditions. Clydebank quickly showed at the start of the game when playing up-slope that they were less affected by the conditions than were the Albion. Caskie first demonstrated his balance and skill when he dribbled through in a solo run and drove just wide of Young's left- hand-post. In six minutes they were ahead, McGhee and Munro went through in another attack down the left-wing. Munro's curler might have been deflected but it swerved and dipped over Young's head into the net, as he vainly tried to over-arm it clear.

Albion were nearly level immediately afterwards when only a brilliant save by McDonald kept out a Henderson rocket shot following a McPhee corner.

The Clydebank goal-keeper, after just previously having to receive attention from the trainer, had to go off following another heavy fall on the hard ground. He was holding his shoulder and obviously in pain. This misfortune for Clydebank came in the 17th minute. Munro went into geal and substitute McMillan took over as a forward. Albion's equalising goal in the 23rd minute was taken sharply by Matt McPhee, who drove a smart pass from Bobby Grant. Clydebank, however, were still the team who looked more capable of getting on top of the conditions and scoring goals from some sustained progressive attacks.

It was a blow to them, therefore, when they lost another goal in the 30th minute. Joe Hughes, who was not happy at all on the frost-top, was impeded by Fallon about 25 yards out from the Clydebank goal. McPhee's free-kick should have been saved by the deputy 'keeper, who was deceived by the bounce and failed to touch the ball as it went into the net.

Deservedly, Clydebank drew level in the 39th minutes. This time it was the Albion defence that got itself into a tangle as three defenders, one of them goalkeeper Young, got mixed up in going for an O'Brien corner. With the 'keeper on the deck, McGhee was in position to touch the ball into the net. Albion were soon ahead again and the goal came in the 42nd minute-at a decisive time just before the interval. It was the Bankies defence on this occasion who could not get a grip of a bouncing ball in their goal area. following an Armstrong corner and Corrigan, up for the header on the corner-kick, fairly belted the ball into the net when it ran just right for him.

Clydebank should have been level three minutes after the restart and they could blame centre-forward McGhee that they weren't. He was in the clear about three yards from goal with not an Albion defender near him. Somehow, he scooped the ball past the post. Any hopes Clydebank had to fighting a gallant rear-guard action to snatch a point from out of their handicap of being without their regular goal-keeper went in the 55th minute when Joe Hughes toe-ended Albion's fourth goal to put them two up in the 55th minute. Clydebank didn't really go right out of the game after this for a brilliant backward flip by Young kept a fierce drive from left-half Hay from being a scorer, but their hopes even of salvaging even one point had gone. Paul substituted for Hughes during the last quarter.

Bobby Grant, who had done a tremendous amount of "old-head" foraging throughout the game, deservedly got his award when he scored Albion's fifth goal in the 71st minute to end the scoring.

Sunday Post

Albion got the points-Bankies got the sympathy. For they lost their 'keeper with an injured shoulder in the 17th minute. Yet, with Munro in goal and McMillan on as sub, they had as much of the game as the home lot.

It took only six minutes to let Albion know it wasn't going to be easy. Munro tried a hopeful lob, a slight deflection foxed Young, and the ball landed in the net.

Then McPhee took a hand—and by the half-hour he had Albion in the lead. First, a Bobby Grant pass left the winger an easy chance and he made no mistake. Next he fired in a 25-yard “free” and the ball finished in the net, through deputy 'keeper Munro's legs. But McGhee got Bankies back on equal terms when he scored from close in.

Another mistake by Munro let Corrigan in to send Albion in at the interval with a rather undeserved lead. Hughes made it four when he shot high into the net over a mass of bodies. R. Grant got No. 5 after Henderson set it up.

D. Grant, Henderson and McPhee for Albion, and Clydebank's Ruddy, O'Brien and Caskie were top men in a remarkably good game.

Sunday Mail

Clydebank, the more lively team, took the lead in the sixth minute when a Munro cross was deflected past 'keeper Young by a defender.

The Bankies continued to show a better quality of football on the bone-hard ground, but disaster struck in the 17th minute when they lost the services of their goalkeeper who twice dived on the frost-covered pitch and had to go to Stirling Royal Infirmary with a suspected fracture of the shoulder.

Munro took over in goal with substitute McMillan at inside-left. Albion who had not been shaping up as promotion contenders, equalised when Joe Hughes touched the ball to McPhee, who made no mistake in the 22nd minute.

Eight minutes later the winger scored a second from a 25-yard free kick, but the visitors fought back and McGhee deservedly equalised six minutes from the interval Three minutes later however, Corrigan, from a Hughes corner put the homesters ahead.

Although Stirling went further ahead with a Hughes goal in the 55th minute, it was Clydebank who did most of the attacking and forced corner after corner.

Albion substitute Paul came on for Hughes in the 63rd minute. Bob Grant rubbed salt into the weakened Bankies' wound by adding a fifth goal in the 71st minute.



Squad Statistics (as at December 27th, 1969)

1969-70 All Time
League Cups All
Mike McDonald (GK) 13 - 3 - 17 -
Dennis Ruddy 20 - 4 - 64 -
Danny Gray 19 - 8 - 36 -
Jim Fallon 15 - 82584
Davie Mitchell 17 - 8 - 1344
Dougie Hay 1518 - 732
Bobby Love 19 - 7 - 511
Tommy McGhee 1578211821
Alan Munro 198855928
Gerry O'Brien 2028 - 704
Jimmy Caskie 2010837126
Paul McMillan (sub) 9 - 1 - 334







Recent Results

League results since Clydebank's last match
20th December 1969
Arbroath0-1Stirling Albion
Falkirk2-1Stenhousemuir
27th December 1969
Berwick Rangers2-0Brechin City
Cowdenbeath2-2Arbroath
East Stirlingshire4-2Stenhousemuir
Forfar Ath4-1East Fife
Hamilton Accies3-2Stranraer
Montrose2-1Queen's Park
Queen of the South1-0Albion Rovers
Stirling Albion5-2Clydebank

League Table (as at December 27th, 1969)

Pld W D L +/- Pts
1. Cowdenbeath 20 12 6 2 +22 30
2. Falkirk 18 13 2 3 +28 28
3. Stirling Albion 21 10 8 3 +20 28
4. Queen of the South 20 12 4 4 +12 28
5. Arbroath 21 12 3 6 +24 27
6. Alloa Athletic 19 12 2 5 +17 26
7. Berwick Rangers 19 11 3 5 +21 25
8. Dumbarton 19 9 4 6 +8 22
9. East Fife 21 9 2 10 -2 20
10. Montrose 20 7 4 9 -3 18
11. Brechin City 18 7 3 8 -7 17
12. Clydebank 20 6 4 10 -16 16
13. Forfar Ath 21 7 1 13 -14 15
14. Queen's Park 21 6 3 12 -14 15
15. East Stirlingshire 18 5 4 9 -13 14
16. Albion Rovers 21 5 4 12 -15 14
17. Hamilton Accies 20 5 4 11 -15 14
18. Stranraer 20 5 2 13 -14 12
19. Stenhousemuir 21 3 3 15 -39 9