Clydebank 2
Berwick Rangers 4
League (Division 2)

Match Report

VIP guests at Kilbowie Park were Berwick Rangers who conquered Glasgow Rangers in the Scottish Cup last week. The interest on the back of that game brought a huge attendance to Kilbowie and the visitors put on quite an impressive display.

They were very impressive in midfield with their accurate passing but one had that slight feeling of disbelief that this team could have beaten THE big Rangers.

Admittedly they beat Clydebank but with all due respect one cannot class Bankies with Glasgow Rangers.

For the first ten minutes or so of the game Bankies threw everything at the Berwick defence in an effort to get a first goal.

Berwick opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Christie scored from a Dowds cross.

Cup tie hero, little Sammy Reid playing inside-right scored the Berwick second and third goals. His first came in 24 minutes when he stroked in an Ainslie pass. The third goal came from a penalty after Craig was pulled down inside the box by Bankies Graham Small.

Bankies first half goal was a beauty. Tony Moy scored from a Russell pass after the latter has taken on literally the whole of Berwick's defence.

Young Bankies supporters flooded onto the park to congratulate Tony and little Frank and it was a few minutes before order could be restored.

Bankies have one of the finest supports in the whole Second Division. One keen supporter even brings along his bugle to lead the supporters in their chanting. I noticed on Saturday that he is definitely improving. Keep it up lad!

Down three goals to one at the interval, Bankies really came storming back and soon Berwick were reeling. Both sides were only playing with ten men, as Bankies McCallum and Berwick's Craig were ordered off four minutes from the interval for having a go at each other.

Putting on this constant pressure Bankies just had to score and they did in 65 minutes through Frank Russell. Russell collected the ball off Joe Rankin over on the right; he moved forward slowly then suddenly let loose with one of his rocket type shots. The ball simply screamed into the net leaving keeper Neill with no chance.

The Clydebank supporters went wild with delight but unfortunately this was short lived for three minutes later Berwick's left winger Ainslie rushed in to meet a Dowds cross which keeper Sandy MacLachlan failed to hold.

Bankies missed a good few chances in this game mainly though bad passing but the result in no way disgraced them as they never gave up against the giant killers. from just south of the border.

Clydebank are still equal in the league to county rivals Dumbarton who suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of bottom club East Stirlingshire.

Match report written by Mark Cook (Clydebank Press)

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Berwick Rangers continued their magnificent run on Saturday when they beat the vastly improved Clydebank in a fine match. Only black spot in an otherwise impressive performance came when right half Russell Craig was ordered off, along with Bob McCallum, the Clydebank left-winger.

The two players clashed in midfield when the ball was a long way away. Referee Mr D. Smail, of Selkirk had no alternative but to send both men on the long walk back to the dressing rooms. It could be serious for Berwick, because Craig is bound to be heavily punished having sustained a 14-day suspension earlier this season. He will be available for the Cup-tie, but will almost certainly miss games as Berwick try to climb nearer the top. Saturday's match attracted a crowd of 5000, and they gave Berwick a great reception as they ran out for the start. All the world, it seems, loves a giant-killer. Tribute must be paid to the extremely sporting attitude of the big Kilbowie crowd. for they applauded Berwick's moves with enthusiasm.

The Rangers lost as many goals in this game as they had done their previous seven. Possibly the absence of player-manager Jock Wallace away watching Hibernian had something to do with it. But, so did the absence of Craig which meant that Sammy Reid had to drop a long way back.

In addition, Clydebank forward Russell, scored a superb solo effort to put his team right into the running in the second half.

Andy Neil, the tall youngster, took over in goal from Wallace and confirmed that he has been improving rapidly under the expert tuition of his boss. Neil's positioning and handling was much better than on his previous first team appearances. The backs, both of whom are in great form just now Were very sound, and Coutts was again outstanding. Craig, in a defensive role, and Kilgannon, as an attacker, took the eye early on, but once Craig was sent off, it was Kilgannon who had to drop back and do much of the 'sweeping up'- a role he accomplished with success.

But, it was the forwards who took the eye with some delightful approach work. When Berwick were at full strength they were really sparkling with Reid and Dowds slinging the ball about from any angle.

Dowds has always looked a player of great potential, but now that he has harnessed his skill to a team pattern. rather than trying to do so much on his own, he has become a most intelligent forward.

Lumsden, benefitting from the match practice he had last week, was coming right back to his best and Ainslie had a fine match. In the middle, George Christie took another battering, but he scored a splendid goal, led the line well, and played a useful part in this latest success.

Clydebank have improved out of all recognition from the nervous team which played at Shielfield. They had won six of their previous seven games at Kilbowie Park, and the only game they lost was by a solitary goal to Morton. Measured against that. Berwick's performance was a really good one.

Jenkins and Moy were clever raiders for the Bankies', with young McLachlan doing enough to show why be is rated one of the top young "keepers in the Second Division. The hard tackling Small and McGill gave the Berwick players plenty of challenge, and wing halves Collumbine and McGhee played tirelessly to try and get their side back into the hunt.

Berwick started quietly, and when Clydebank winger McCallum got in a shot which clipped the post on its way past, the home crowd really began to rear on their team.

But Berwick, playing with confidence, soon settled into a rhythm of quick passing and dangerous raiding which got the home defence in trouble. Christie, breaking clear, sent in a swerving shot which hit the top of the bar and then McLachlan got down smartly to a low shot from Dowds.

It was Dowds who created the opening from which Berwick went into the lead. He slung over a perfect high cross and up went Christie to bullet a header into the net. Six minutes later. Sammy Reid, again moving intelligently off the ball was right in the clear when Ainslie switched a pass to him and the net bulged again.

A clever shot from Tony Moy deceived Neil to reduce the leeway, but Berwick stormed back, and McLachlan had great saves from Dowds and Christie, before the team scored again. Craig, moving up, was tripped by Small, and from the spot. the reliable Reid netted.

Berwick, with Reid lying deep. played a more relaxed game in the second half, but still had a polish which the 'Bankies lacked.

Play swung from end to end, and a magnificent solo goal by Russell suddenly put the issue in doubt. The centre picked up a through pass 45 yards out, weaved his way through. and netted with a ferocious shot. But Berwick always had the edge. Haig. coming right through. almost got his first goal of the season with a shot which McLachlan only just deflected and then, with 12 minutes left. Dowds moved right through on the left and hammered in a shot which the Bankies goalkeeper could only push out. There was Ainslie, who pounced like a flash and lashed the ball home.

Match Report by Unknown (Berwick Advertiser)