Clydebank 2
Vale of Leven 1
League (Central District Division 1)

Match Report

For the second time in recent games Vale lost our to a last minute killer goal to deny them a share of the spoils. On the day Bankies were marginally the better side but it was a hard one for Vale to take as they deserved a point from the game and with both sides going all out for a winner in the closing minutes Bankies caught Vale on the break to score a deflected winner to keep alive their promotion hopes.

Third placed Vale made two changes for this their final match of the season, with Allan Lees unavailable Kevin Goodwin returned and Gus Gault was preferred in midfield in place of top scorer Hugh Ward who was still seeking his elusive 100th goal for Vale.

Vale had the first real chance of the match when striker Mark Bowie latched onto a ball through the middle but he blasted his effort over the bar. Three minutes later Brown split the Clydebank defence with a searching pass from right to left that saw Montague in on goal but his first time drive from the angle of the area flew narrowly past.



Bankies first effort came after 20 minutes from a Hailstones corner that ended with Maxwells glancing header hit the top of the crossbar before going over. Three minutes later and Vale wasted a great chance to take the lead, Filshies long ball forward saw Montague race through on goal and after taking the ball around keeper Bell he hurriedly shot into the side netting. At the other end the dangerous Hailstones fired in a free kick that Tiropoulos grasped confidently.



Half Time: Clydebank 0 Vale 0



Bankies should have taken the lead three minutes after the break but substitute Sharkey headed wide after a great cross from the right presented him with the chance. SHARKEY made amends five minutes later when he edged his team in front. A soft free kick was awarded on the right just outside the area and Carberry fired in a low shot past Vales two man wall that was pushed away by the diving Tiropoulos but Sharkey reacted quickest to tuck the rebound past the Vale keeper.



Vale weathered the Bankies pressure and worked their way back into the match and were rewarded with a stunning equaliser by KEVIN MONTAGUE in the 73rd minute after he collected a lay back from Bowie to curl a looping shot up and over the diving Bell from 20 yards.



Both sides were due great for going all out for an equaliser, Bankies needed the win to stay on course for promotion , Vale needed the win to avenge two earlier Millburn defeats from Bankies. As it turned out it was Clydebank who grabbed the winning goal when intercepted a Vale attack in the final minute and broke swiftly from defence. Vale failed to clear the danger from McWhirter and when the ball was played along the 18 yard line sweeper BRIAN HARKIN had somehow managed to get the full length of the park and his placed shot took a wicked deflection of Toby King that left Tiropoulos stranded.



In the final seconds Vale captain Alex Lacy received his first caution of the season.