Queen of South 2
Clydebank 0
League (Division 2)

Match Report

Clydebank’s better form has begun to tail off in recent weeks and continued to do so at Dumfries on Saturday as they went down 2–0 to a Queen of the South side who found their rhythm in the second half following a sluggish opening spell.

The first half offered little in the way of entertainment, with Queen’s enjoying the bulk of possession but looking toothless in attack. The Bankies defence, marshalled well by Tommy McGhee, stood firm, and despite Queen’s pressure, Sandy McLachlan was rarely troubled. Frank Russell was again Clydebank’s most lively outlet going forward, but clear chances were few.

The match turned after the interval, and ironically, it was a setback for the home side that sparked them into life. Centre-half Jimmy Kerr was forced off with injury, and his replacement, Alan Smith, transformed the game. Within 15 minutes of his arrival, Smith had made a decisive impact, breaking through the Bankies defence with a surging solo run and calmly slotting past McLachlan for the opener.

Shortly after, Clydebank suffered a blow of their own as stalwart half-back Ernie Collumbine was stretchered off. He was replaced by newcomer Ian Russell, but the disruption did little to help a side already under increasing pressure. McGhee, who had battled hard all afternoon, was booked as tempers flared under the strain of Queen’s relentless second-half push.

Queen of the South doubled their lead on 76 minutes when Smith was again involved, linking well with Davidson to create an opening for McChesney, who applied a cool finish to put the result beyond doubt.

Despite the defeat, Clydebank had their moments—particularly in the first half—but couldn’t find a cutting edge. They’ll also rue the injury to Collumbine, a key figure in the midfield. Among the positives, Russell showed flashes of quality, and McGhee put in a typically combative shift before his booking.

For Queen’s, Collings, Murphy, and the influential substitute Smith stood out in a match that came to life only after the break.

Match report written by Stuart McBay