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Berwick Rangers 1
Clydebank 1
League (Division 2)

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Berwick Rangers 

1 - 1

Clydebank

League (Division 2)
Saturday, November 14th, 1970
Shielfield Park. Att. 516
3:00 PM Kick-off

Goalscorers
Eric Tait (72) Donnie Wilson  (17)

Team Managers
Unknown. Jack Steedman

Starting Eleven
1 Willie Wilson
2 Gordon Haig
3 Ben McCabe
4 John Brown
5 Roy McDowell
6 Harry Melrose
7 Keith Miller
8 Eric Tait
9 Jock Richardson
10 John Stoddart
11 Davie Hogg 		Mike McDonald 1
Davie Mitchell 2
Danny Gray 3
Dennis Ruddy 4
Jim Fallon 5
Dougie Hay 6
Norrie Hall 7
Bobby Love 8
Alan Munro 9
Donnie Wilson 10
Jimmy Caskie 11

Bench
12 Johnny Hamilton Jimmy Wilson 12

Substitutions
Johnny Hamilton -> Jock Richardson (80) Jimmy Wilson for Norrie Hall

Cautions
None. None.

Red Cards
None. None.

Match Officials

Bobby Greenlees (Referee)
RR Cuthill & RTF Dudgeon (Assistants)




Match Report

Sunday Post

A penalty miss five minutes from time cost Berwick a point. Bankies keeper McDonald pushed Stoddart's spot-kick over the top-one of a series of fine second-half saves.

But he had no chance with Tait's snap-shot equaliser in 72 minutes which climaxed an extended run of pressure.

Clydebank went ahead in 17 minutes through centre Munro. Rangers' winger Hogg hit the crossbar and sent another shot wide both from close range. Rangers were in command in midfield, but the front runners were weak.

Berwick Advertiser

Mike McDonald, the shakiest goalkeeper to visit Shielfield this season, walked off the field a hero for Clydebank. Five minutes from time he moved to his right to block a John Stoddart penalty and deprive Berwick Rangers of a victory their pressure had deserved. As the game progressed, Rangers realised the weakness of McDonald in gathering the ball. On four occasions in the second half he made a dreadful hash of trying to pick up both high and low crosses. But each time he was enabled to recover possession.

Five minutes from time came his big chance when leading scorer Stoddart stepped up to take a penalty awarded after the Rangers inside man had been pulled down inside the box. Stoddart thumped the ball hard enough but McDonald correctly guessed its direction and got to it to deflect it over for a corner. Minutes earlier he had again excelled by throwing himself to his left to grab a Melrose header after Eric Tait had outjumped the Clydebank defence to get the ball across to his manager.

Yet Rangers ought to have clinched both points. After a poor first half, the tempo speeded up and the last 15 minutes were very exciting as Berwick went all out for a winner, and came desperately close to losing!

With almost all their players upfield. Rangers were caught on the hop as Bankies broke away. Some quick inter passing left Munro in the clear but Wilson got out to block his shot and man of the match Gordon Haig coolly belted the rebound off the line to safety.

Though Rangers dropped another home point there was plenty to admire in the second half as they battled with great determination first to equalise and then to try and go one better. Had one forward been detailed to lie close in whenever the ball was near McDonald, Rangers might have won but their finishing over the 90 minutes raises doubts about that. Too many easy chances were squandered.

David Hogg, six yards out, lashed one against the crossbar, and then, clean away shot past from close in. Miller saw McDonald get across to stop a fierce shot and later on Richardson missed too.

Bankies looked the better side for most of the first half, but they ended up glad to accept one point.

Rangers were upset before the start when Eddie Buchanan had to leave for the south in the course of his employment and wing halves David-son and Keith failed fitness tests, It meant that half of the defence had to be re-organised and it took both Brown and Melrose a fair time to get into their stride.

But Gordon Haig has seldom played better. Ever ready to break through as an extra attacker, he was as sound as ever in a defensive role and he was desperately unlucky not to score twice one in each half.

Roy McDowell had a very satisfactory home debut and he was cool and efficient in all he did. Wilson had little to do but when he needed to go into action he confirmed that he is fast regaining confidence.

Up front, Rangers did plenty of running and chasing, but wasted all their efforts by lack of punch close in. The applause which Jocky Richardson received as he was substituted 10 minutes from time was an appreciation of the effort he had shown. This was one of his better games, though he is still finding goals difficult to come by and that is a centre forward's main requirement.

Miller, Hogg and Tait all flashed in to the game with prominent spells but found it difficult to sustain their form for the full 90 minutes. Rangers have wingers now who can run and who can get the ball across. The task must be to get the best out of them. Stoddart, I thought, had a useful match in midfield yet his biggest asset when he joined Rangers was his flair near goal.

Clydebank, with a team of talented youngsters, came with a high reputation and they were undoubtedly one of the most sporting sides to come to Shielfield. They contributed to an entertaining afternoon. In big Alan Munro they had a dangerous leader, and Jimmy Caskie, son of the former Berwick favourite was a constant threat operating mainly on the right flank.

In defence, right back Mitchell was, like Haig, an outstanding personality while Ruddy and Fallon played well throughout.

Two excellent saves by Wilson prevented the Bankies from going ahead early on, then Miller saw McDonald save well at full length.

The visitors took the lead in 16 minutes when Caskie went past McCabe and whipped the ball across accurately to Munro who hooked it calmly into the net.

Though Berwick did a great deal of running and harrying they were unable to get back on terms before the interval. Nearest they came was when Hogg hit the bar seconds before the visitors raced away for their goal.

In the second half Rangers were well on top throughout and Eric Tait equalised from 15 yards with 12 minutes left.

Newcastle Journal

Although Berwick failed to win their improvement continued in an entertaining game with Clydebank at Shielfield.

Rangers did more than enough to take the points and even before John Stoddart failed with a penalty kick in the last five minutes the issue should have been settled.

Admittedly Mike McDonald turned in a first class display in the Bankies goal but he was aided by the very indifferent home finishing.

The Clydebank goal was an example of how quickly fortunes can change on the soccer field. Rangers had settled and were shaping well when Hogg from about six yards cracked a shot against the crossbar which should have been in the net.

Straightaway Clydebank raced to the other end to catch the home defence napping, and Munro put them ahead. Then Hogg blazed wide again from an easy scoring position

Rangers stormed through the second half and after Tait hit the equaliser in 72 minutes it seemed odds on victory.



Squad Statistics (as at November 14th, 1970)

1970-71 All Time
League Cups All
Mike McDonald (GK) 13 - 6 - 49 -
Jim Fallon 13362959
Norrie Hall 2 - 0 - 2 -
Davie Mitchell 13 - 611715
Dennis Ruddy 1316 - 1011
Danny Gray 13 - 5 - 67 -
Dougie Hay 1126 - 1084
Bobby Love 13 - 6 - 862
Alan Munro 137629542
Jimmy Caskie 1356410839
Donnie Wilson 10152244
Jimmy Wilson (sub) 4 - 0 - 4 -







Recent Results

League results since Clydebank's last match
14th November 1970
Albion Rovers1-0Partick Th
Arbroath2-0Queen of the South
Berwick Rangers1-1Clydebank
East Stirlingshire3-5East Fife
Montrose4-2Alloa Athletic
Raith Rovers6-4Queen's Park
Stenhousemuir4-0Brechin City
Stirling Albion2-0Hamilton Accies
Stranraer1-1Forfar Ath

League Table (as at November 14th, 1970)

Pld W D L +/- Pts
1. East Fife 15 9 4 2 +20 22
2. Arbroath 15 9 4 2 +18 22
3. Albion Rovers 14 8 5 1 +12 21
4. Montrose 15 7 2 6 +4 16
5. Forfar Ath 15 5 6 4 +1 16
6. Queen of the South 15 6 4 5 -2 16
7. Stranraer 13 6 3 4 +7 15
8. Raith Rovers 15 5 5 5 -3 15
9. Partick Th 12 5 4 3 +12 14
10. Clydebank 13 6 2 5 0 14
11. Alloa Athletic 14 6 2 6 -1 14
12. Stenhousemuir 16 5 3 8 -12 13
13. Stirling Albion 13 4 4 5 +5 12
14. Dumbarton 12 4 4 4 +5 12
15. Queen's Park 14 5 2 7 -10 12
16. Berwick Rangers 12 3 3 6 -8 9
17. Hamilton Accies 12 3 2 7 -8 8
18. East Stirlingshire 15 1 5 9 -21 7
19. Brechin City 14 2 2 10 -19 6