Kirk Rob Roy 3
Clydebank 2
League (Super Premier Division)

Match Report

Clydebank’s first ever game in the Super Premier League ended in defeat as they lost by the odd goal in five against Rob Roy. It was a valiant effort by the players as they played 70 minutes with only ten men after goalkeeper Hamilton was sent off, however a point at least should have been taken after a series of goalscoring opportunities were spurned.

The Bankies started off brightly and a trio of chances came and went. Hobbs headed wide from a MacKinnon cross, then Berry showed superb skill before his turn and dipping volley was stopped by Connolly and after 10 minutes McPherson hit a ruck of bodies with a powerful free kick.

It took the Rabs 17 minutes before they threatened the Bankies goal and it was a Gormley strike that went past the right hand post after Coakley set him up. Two minutes later and the match defining moment came when Gormley picked up a long ball over the top. As he tried to round keeper Hamilton he was brought down which not only led to a penalty kick, but a straight red card for the Bankies young Keeper. Stefan Gonet immediately came off the bench, but he could do nothing to stop Gormley giving the home side the lead from the penalty spot.

The Bankies took a while to settle after the goal with Gormley and Easton having further chances, but once the players adjusted the response was magnificent. MacKinnon who had been quiet in the opening half-hour began to get a grip of the game. He began to spray passes around and a superb through ball to Hobbs should have led to an equaliser but the striker mis-controlled at the vital moment. Hobbs didn’t let his head go down, as he produced a deserved equaliser three minutes before the break when he volleyed home from 6 yards out after been left in acres of space. The Bankies tails were up and it could have been two when a Tommy Martin header from a corner kick was cleared off the line.

When you are on the up, the half time break can disturb your flow, but it did nothing of the sort as the ten man Bankies came flying out of the traps in the second half. Hobbs and MacKinnon were linking up superbly, and the former was set up by the latter only to see his drilled shot well saved by Connolly. Minutes later and Allum set up Hobbs, but this time his shot was over the bar. Hobbs completed a hat trick of misses when he shot weakly at Connolly when he and MacKinnon had a promising two on two situation.

It is one of the oldest lessons in football in that if you don’t take your chances - especially when down to ten men - then you will be punished. With an hour on the clock that is exactly what happened, as the ball was chipped over the Bankies defence to Fulton who had got behind MacAdam. He took the ball on his chest then hit the ball into the net beyond Gonet.

The Bankies weren’t out of it though, and substitute Dymock had a glorious chance to equalise. He did the hard bit strongly holding off the challenge of Cairney. Now one on one with Connolly, it looked like a certain goal, but he blazed the ball over the bar and it seemed the chance of getting anything from the game.

Only two minutes later, Fulton showed Dymock how to do it. In a similar situation, Fulton brushed off the challenge of MacAdam and one on one with Gonet he calmly slotted the ball into the net to give the Rabs a two goal cushion.

The Bankies were beginning to tire, and only an offside decision from the linesman prevented ex-Bankie Chris Mackie from increasing the lead, and then a stunning point blank save from Gonet stopped the striker from scoring against his former club. In fairness the Bankies kept plugging away and still created numerous chances with a MacKinnon piledriver being the pick of the bunch, but Connolly was equal to the task, tipping the ball over the bar.

With there being only 22 league games in this division every opportunity to claim points will have to be taken. Despite the mitigating circumstances of being down to ten men, the Bankies should really have taken a point from Adamslie Park. Rob Roy look like they may have goals in them, but were not so clever at the back. With Petershill looking a far better outfit than last season, the Bankies will need to be more ruthless in front of goal to have any chance of opening their league account next week. The sooner points are on the board, the sooner the fans will feel the club has a chance to compete in this division.