Clydebank 0
Forfar Ath 2
Friendly

Match Report

Clydebank suffered a setback in their first official friendly of the season, going down 2–0 to Second Division strugglers Forfar Athletic in miserable conditions at New Kilbowie.

Despite leading the Combined Reserve League, the Bankies looked second best for much of the match, with the visitors adapting far better to the heavy pitch and driving rain. This run of friendlies is meant to serve as a proving ground for Clydebank's senior ambitions, but this performance will not have helped their case in front of a sizable and expectant home crowd.

Both sides struggled early on due to the slippery surface, with ball control proving difficult and promising chances often breaking down. Clydebank centre-forward Connelly was involved in the early action, slipping at a crucial moment when poised to score, before finding the net shortly after—only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

Forfar took the lead during the first-half downpour, with Morrison’s deflected shot falling kindly to Knox, who knocked the ball home from close range. Clydebank had the chance to level before the break, but Connelly's effort was well off target.

Any hopes of a second-half comeback were quickly dashed. Barely a minute after the restart, Morrison struck again—this time with a weak, low shot that looked easy enough for Ronnie Wilson. But the greasy ball squirmed out of the keeper’s grasp and into the net, much to the dismay of the home support.

From that point on, Clydebank toiled with little conviction. The spark from previous weeks was missing, and the forwards failed to seriously trouble the Forfar defence. One bright spot was right-half Jenkins, a recent signing from Maryhill Harp, who impressed on his debut. He came closest to scoring, twice rattling the woodwork with long-range efforts that deserved better.

Despite their efforts, Clydebank couldn't find a way through, and Forfar held on comfortably for a confidence-boosting win. The match saw both sides pick up bookings—Mackle for Forfar and Holloran for the Bankies—in what was at times a scrappy and frustrating affair.

It was a disappointing result for a side hoping to showcase their credentials to the senior ranks. The Bankies will be keen to bounce back in the matches to come.

Match report written by Stuart McBay