Clydebank 0
Alloa Athletic 2
League (Division 2)

Match Report

A rather disappointing display from the Bankies, who seemed unable to find an answer to the visitor’s defence. The main problem was their finishing power. Their midfield play was good and some of their attacks started off well but petered out inside their opponents eighteen-yard line.

Alloa, who were by no means a hard team to beat, got the breaks and obtained their two-goal lead within the first fifteen minutes. Rutherford got the first goal in 12 minutes from a Baker cross. He caught the Bankies defence napping. Big John McGill deflected a Flannigan shot three minutes later into his own net to give then their second.

Bankies tried very hard after this, and a few good chances were thrown away by terrible shooting on the part of the forwards.

So, this is how the game progressed. Bankies doing all the running and Alloa content to let them do so. Occasionally they broke out of their defence and made a rush for the home goal, But Bankies football was pretty solid. Negative football!

Before the game commenced it was announced that Bankies were fielding the same team two weeks running - the first time this has happened since the beginning of the season in August because of injuries.

The full complement of 18 players were all fit but here the run of luck ended for in the 75th minute of the game Tommy McGhee was carried off with a suspected dislocated shoulder and two minutes later Graham Small was sent off with an eye wound. He later returned.

After the match, however, it was learned that Graham had to have several stitches inserted, and McGhee was taken to Vale of Leven hospital.

The second half saw the park littered with bodies as both sets of players seemed to take exception to one another and the game was held up time and time again.

There is nothing more annoying when one is watching a game of football than to keep hearing incessant whistling from the referee.

At present a storm is brewing in Scottish football circles over the new tough line that referees are taking. One hears constantly of player being booked and more frequently ordered off. Whereas I don't entirely agree with fault finding, it is time something was being done about rough play and rule breaking.

The public are paying money to see football not a feud. I'm not singling out the two teams on Saturday but they both had their share of headstrong players.

However, this is the first time this season there has been signs of a rough-house on Kilbowie soil and probably we can put it down to too much enthusiasm - or frustration.

The frustration was, I'm sure, felt by many of the fans present. We all know Bankies need time, but how much longer must we wait, or how much longer can we wait.

A somewhat amusing incident occurred midway through the second half of the game. Some wee kiddie must have heard how the game was going for Bankies and decided they needed a rocket behind them! So, he sent one courtesy of Guy Fawkes!

It came sailing in from the heavens and landed inside the Alloa eighteen-yard line much to the consternation of Alloa's defence.

The game was held up for a couple of seconds while it was removed rather gingerly by a defender. What a laugh!

Match report written by Brian Cook (Clydebank Press)

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This proved easier for the Wasps than even I thought it would. Clydebank are the babes of the League and as such have a lot to learn in the arts of the game. This is where the Wasps cashed in. Their players are more seasoned in the arts of the game and they found it all too easy in the first half.. But a transformation came over the game on the resumption. The home boys threw everything they had into the game to put a better face on things, but they lacked the "know-how" to outwit a defence with the capabilities of the Wasps. Peter Smith was in complete command of the centre approaches and with the other five touching last week's peak performance the Bankies forwards found it well nigh impossible to dent far less breach this solid wall of defenders. But a black mark against the Wasps. They should have been able to pile on the goals against a team so lacking in experience. The Wasps could move the ball fluently from man to man but in the all-important department of goal-scoring they were found lacking.

Most people would not grumble at a clear two goal win but I could not over-enthuse at the attempt of the forwards to finish off good out-field work. Firstly they put too much work on the ball when direct action was called for. They were inclined to attempt to beat the extra man when a colleague was in a good position to receive the ball. Could it be that they were over-confident when it became apparent to them that the opposition was not up to the usual Second Division pattern.

The Bankies were eager enough. I would say over-eager. They never took time to think out what they were going to do. They created the impression to me that they all wanted to get on with the game as fast as they could when the use of a little guile would have paid bigger dividends. Less speed and more thought was called for. But the players did not possess the know-how. Rome was not built in a day and the Steedman brothers realise that better than anyone. As a matter of interest talking to them before the game they reasoned that it would take them four seasons to build a team suitable to hold its own in the Second Division. Every effort is being made to get the necessary players and if enthusiasm goes for anything with this thriving club I have no doubt whatsoever that that target will be reached.

But it is the present we are dealing with. It was a relief to me to see the Wasps get back on the winning trail, but I don't think the Alloa management would be completely satisfied with the play of the forwards. To be able to scythe through a defence with the ease in which they did they could and should have scored more goals. Davie Baker was fielded at centre with I presume the object of adding more lift to the line. I wish I could say that Davie was an unqualified success. But I cannot. Perhaps it is just too much to expect a wing-half to be a heaven-born centre in his first game in the position. This rarely happens and Saturday was not one such day. Davie tried hard enough. He is the type who would do his best even though asked to take over the keeper's job.

But I don't lay the blame entirely at his feet. He didn't receive the best of support from his mates. They put too much work on the ball as if to say "see how clever I can be" when a quick pass to the centre was called for. If the service had been adequate Davie might have made a name for himself and this report would have made better reading.

As against Morton the strong section of the line was on the right. Last week it was John Flannigan and Jim Tallis. At Clydebank it was John and Harry Rutherford. They dove-tailed well together and it was fitting that they should be the goal-scorers. Harry appreciated his return to the wing. He was given more room to move and he revelled in it. He used his speed, to great advantage and John Flannigan saw to it that he got plenty of the ball. There is no doubt in my mind that Harry is twice the player on the wing than he is in the centre.

His partner is steadily working himself back to peak fitness and will soon be the player he was last season. There are few better passers of a ball and now that he has opened his scoring account it should give him the necessary confidence to try his luck more often.

Although the left-wing took second place on the day they could not be considered to have failed. Mike Marshall has football in abundance but he would try and overdo it. It is no advantage to his team to attempt to beat the extra man and that is just what Mike was doing on Saturday. Usually he ran into trouble and lost the ball when his mates were in good position to receive a pass. But to my way of thinking Mike is good and he could prove it by cutting out some of the frills. He would grow in stature if he did.

Tom Hutchison could have been a threat if only Small the home right-back had given him the chance. Tom had the beating of him but usually when he did so he had the legs swept from him. The back was warned in the first half for his tackles and in the 80th minute he was booked for a tackle as crude a tackle as I have ever seen. If I had been in charge of the game I would have sent him to the pavilion without hesitation. With such attention it was not surprising that Tom failed to shine. Who could against such tactics?

Now to the rear half-dozen with the same number of success stories. All I need say is that they all showed their Morton form and the Wasp supporters need ask no more. Adam Hodge cool and in complete control of his citadel. Bobby Gray and Ian Cruickshank hardly broke sweat well they were on top of their opponents. Alex Hodge and Jim two splendid wing-halves and sandwiched between them the peerless Peter Smith. In a class of his own this season he never put a foot wrong.

I will let you into a secret thought I have had this season. Did Stirling Albion make the mistake of signing the wrong centre-half when they approached Alloa for Drew Rogerson? I admired Drew as much as anyone when he was at the Recs as he was a first-class defender. But no one can convince me that he has the artistry of Peter. Defensively both could call quits but Peter has it in construction. Never flustered, it enables him to use the ball intelligently in the manner of a wing-half. Which is only to be expected of Peter as he shines in this position.

What of Clydebank? Let me sum them up thus. When I was leaving the field a man and his small son were walking just in front of me. I overheard the boy ask his father if he could tell him who were the three best players in the Bankies' ranks. The father hesitated then stated that the boy was asking a question which was difficult to answer. I am in the same category and will play safe and leave it at that. But good luck to the team in the future. I hope they soon show improvement. One thing I will say they have vision. They are in the process of building a club house behind one the goals and when completed it will seat 300 and will be used for bingo and dancing. It will also contain three separate bars and will be open to members of the club seven nights a week. It is costing them a packet but once in use the money will come surging back. This is indeed foresight.

Match Report by Rod Hilton (Alloa Advertiser)