Cumbernauld Un 3
Clydebank 3
League (Super Division One)

Match Report

A spirited comeback in the last 15 minutes gave the Bankies an unlikely share of the spoils against Cumbernauld as the Guys Meadow side looked to have the points in the bag after racing in to a 3-1 lead. Tommy Martin’s penalty had drawn the sides level after Gibson’s early opener. Gibson added his second, and then Jarvis put the home side in control in the second half , but Crawford and McPherson rescued a point with late strikes.

Budgie McGhie was looking to build on last weeks win against Annbank which ended a five match winless streak, but he couldn’t have hoped for a worse start when Gibson cracked home a fine shot after only three minutes.

As has become a feature of matches this season, the Bankies were seeing a lot of the ball but were struggling to do anything constructive with it. The first real chance created was after twenty-six minutes when Dymock had a shot blocked which fell kindly to Tommy Martin ten yards from goal. However, taking a touch instead of shooting first time allowed the Cumbernauld defence the opportunity to block his effort.

The midfielder made amends from the penalty spot two minutes later, however after he was bundled to the ground on the left-hand touchline. Bankies fans were nervous as the recent record from the spot hasn’t been great, but Martin despatched the ball into the net albeit via the fingertips of Buchanan.

Clydebank then proceeded to defend like an under 10’s side for the rest of the half and were more than just a little fortunate to reach the break on level terms. Some comic book defending from a corner kick saw the home side have umpteen attempts to force the ball over the line, but Stefan Gonet twice came to the rescue. Then with the interval approaching, goalscorer Gibson missed a glorious chance when he volleyed unmarked against the upright only for Highlands to desperately hack it away.

Lessons were not learned and within three minutes of the restart the Bankies were behind again. Stefan Gonet made a fine save from a rasping 25 yard free kick, but a poor attempt at trying to clear rebound allowed Gibson in to poke the ball in to the net for his and United’s second. The Bankies almost levelled immediately when a clever Stevie Dallas backward flick went just over the bar.

Clydebank were still not playing at a high enough tempo to worry the home side, and an injury to Moffat did not help the cause. Therefore, It was no real surprise when Cumbernauld extended their lead as Jarvis knocked the ball into the net from close range with the Bankies defence posted missing. At this point the patient was lifeless and hopes of resuscitation did not look good at all.

The game meandered along for the next fifteen minutes with substitutions being the most interesting thing to report on. The introduction of Paul Allum finally offered the Bankies something they had so far had been devoid of, and that was a threat in a wide area. Still, the match seemed to be heading to it’s natural conclusion when out of the blue Barry Crawford unleashed an unstoppable volley into the back of the net from the edge of the box.

Suddenly, Clydebank were a different team. Where had they been hiding for the past few weeks? There was high tempo, energy, drive, belief, and pressurising the opposition high up the park forcing mistakes. For the first time in quite some time the player’s actions on the park were giving the supporters something to shout about.

Cumbernauld were on the back foot as the game opened up and the final ten minutes were as entertaining as anything the Bankies have been involved in all season. Barry Crawford almost doubled his own personal tally when he rifled a shot just wide of the post. A minute later however, and the Bankies got the equaliser when McPherson was able to take advantage of MacKinnon’s powerful run into the box by scooping home his pass across the six yard box.

In injury time either side could have won it. Firstly, Hailstones nodded over the cross bar under pressure from the goalkeeper, then as the Bankies pushes forward in search of the winner McNally snuck in through the back door but he dragged his shot wide with only Gonet to beat.

Under the circumstances you have got to be happy with rescuing a point, but it was another lacklustre performance for much of the match. The last fifteen minutes are a glimpse of the level that is required in order to go out and beat teams. Starting matches in this manner rather than ending it this way will see games being won rather than being saved.

Match report written by Stuart McBay