Alloa Athletic 1
Clydebank 1
League (Division 2)

Match Report

A good result for Bankies considering this was an away game and they were without three regulars.

Man of the match was Frank Russell who was playing at outside-left for the day and scored Bankies equaliser with only three minutes to go.

Bankies fielded two junior trialists, centre half Lees and centre half Slavin, both from St Rochs.

Out of the team were Tommy McGhee and Willie McCallum who were both under seven days suspension and Ernie Collumbine, who has a leg injury.

Alloa, who are a tough team to beat under any circumstances, opened the scoring through their inside right Brennan in 21 minutes. The inside man had a neat run downfield, beat Graham Small and thundered a low shot into the net.

Frank Russell had a field day; he blasted the Alloa goal incessantly and, but for keeper Adam Hodge, Bankies might have had a barrowload.

Frank finally beat the keeper in the 87th minute with a fine shot.

Match report written by a correspondent. (Clydebank Press)

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With the Wasps smarting under a five-games-in-a-row defeat something had to be done about it. I am sure this shuffled line-up did not solve any of the problems, rather the reverse. Teamwork did not show any improvement, and it looks as if other permutations are called for in the remaining games to try to recapture early season form. Mid-week signing, Jim Brennan, St. Andrews United was introduced at inside-left and I would say he was the best of the home forwards. He didn't exactly cause one to go into raptures about his play, but his leading-up work looked good, and he took his goal coolly and intelligently. I would say a newcomer introduced into the present Alloa forward line would have to be very good to shine at all. This is the section of the team which is causing the greatest concern to the management, and they have a hard job on their hands to improve it. There is no apparent cohesion, and lack of bite in front of goal is another headache.

Strangely enough the "Bankies" suffered from the same failings and if ever I saw a one-man forward line, it was theirs. It would be no exaggeration to say that Frank Russell was their forward line, and it was fitting that he should score the equaliser for his team late in the game.

Ironically enough he could have been a Wasp last season as he played a trial for Alloa against Airdrie at Broomfield towards the close of the campaign. On that occasion I thought he had a very intelligent game, and I was surprised that he was not asked back to show his possibilities. As the saying goes -"Alloa's loss was Clydebank's gain," and if Saturday's form can be any criterion this is one big fish that got away.

With the dearth of good forward play the game fell pretty flat and there was little for the spectators to raise any enthusiasm about. Perhaps it was just as well that Russell was playing as he alone produced the fireworks ability that brought out the best in Adam Hodge. Adam had to be in top form to deal with several thunderbolts from the Clydebank man who was listed at outside-left but more often to be found in the inside-right position. If he had been in the Wasps' ranks both points would have stayed at the Recs. I am sure on that point.

Defensively the Wasps could hardly be faulted but games cannot be won on defence alone. Peter Smith strolled through the game and had able support from his colleague but until such times as the forwards do something to earn their corn the Wasps will remain in the doldrums. I don't blame the management for experimenting with the team placings as they must be about at the end of their tether in their efforts to produce a winning team. I can expect more experiments to follow this latest display.

Mind you the Steadman Bros. would be quite happy to get away with a point as they had team difficulties due to three of their recognised players being unavailable – two under suspension and one through injury. They were forced to introduce two Juniors from St. Roch's one at centre-half and the other facing Peter Smith. On the whole then I am sure they were delighted to get away with a draw. But I thought their play warranted the point as they were every bit as good -or as bad as the Wasps on the day. I would say that their teamwork has greatly improved since I saw them against the Wasps at Clydebank earlier in the season. I can remember writing that the Wasps were ahead in all departments that day and their win was gained with the minimum of exertion.

The signs point to an improvement at Clydebank and with such astute men in control I am sure they will go on to better things next season. They will have to meet the requirements of their enterprising management.

Where do Alloa go from here? Your guess is as good as mine, but I have no doubt that other readjustments can be expected in an all-out effort to get back on to a winning run. And this will be no easy task as a team suffering defeat after defeat need a hefty shot in the arm to regain their confidence and enthusiasm for the game. So go to it Wasps. You can and must play a great deal better and let it be soon. Against Albion Rovers at Coatbridge as a matter of fact!

Peter Smith was injured in Clydebank's opening thrust. but recovered after attention-and a few minutes hirpling. (Needless to say every home eye viewed his progress with some anxiety).

Alloa replied with a fine run by Marshall down the left, but McLachlan safely gathered the hard, low cross.

The game settled – or unsettled to end-to-end play. Bobby Gray checked Slavin when the centre seemed to be picking his spot 12 yards out, then in a quick change of scene, a McLachlan turned a Marshall header round the post.

Clydebank's Gray found a downgoing Smith a bar to success on the edge of the area - Clydeside penalty unrest disregarded by Mr Foote - and when the Wasps again replied, a Brennan header was just wide of the post.

But the new chum's next appearance on the ball was a real winner. Set afoot by Marshall, he travelled 20 yards into Clydebank territory, neatly dummied Small on the edge of the area and fired a fast low ball to McLachlan's right-hand corner. Time 23 minutes.

Thus encouraged, Alloa briefly looked like getting on top, then it was end-to-end stuff again, and just on the half-hour Hodge was at full length to save from Russell. Minutes later Slavin missed badly in front of goal-and a Reddington 20-yarder was all Alloa had to show in reply.

Clydebank attacked on the re-start and Hodge twice saved grandly from a Russell operating on the 18-yard line. Marshall, now operating on the right wing, had some likely runs but McLachlan or his henchmen usually had the final say when the ball came in. The 'keeper was at full stretch to save from Robertson in one home thrust.

And so it came to that fatal 87th minute. It was that man Russell man of menace- in possession again, and this time his hard, low 18-yarder left Adam Hodge helpless. Then came Peter Smith's gallant bid. McLachlan was beaten but Mr Foote said offside.

Match report written by Unknown. (Alloa Advertiser)