Clydebank 2
Stranraer 3
Friendly

Match Report

After nearly a month without a match due to a combination of bad weather and lack of available opposition, Clydebank returned to action with a friendly against Second Division Stranraer. The rust was evident at times, but the match provided plenty of incident—and a dramatic late rally that came agonisingly close to rescuing a result.

Stranraer, fielding the same side that had edged out Third Lanark a fortnight earlier, struck first in just the fifth minute. Trialist centre-forward Newman, formerly of Motherwell, marked his debut with a clever setup for winger Murdoch, who slotted home confidently to give the visitors an early lead.

Clydebank responded well and were level on 20 minutes. A shot from Tony Moy rattled the crossbar and dropped into the path of Joe Rankin, who was quickest to react and knocked the ball over the line to make it 1–1.

But the Fifers were back in front just four minutes later. Once again, Murdoch was involved, turning provider for Hanlan, who rifled the ball into the net to restore Stranraer's advantage. Clydebank pressed for an equaliser before the break but trailed 2–1 at half-time.

The second half saw Stranraer tighten their grip on the contest. The visitors were well on top, and only the heroics of goalkeeper Ronnie Wilson kept the scoreline respectable. Wilson made a series of fine stops to deny Stranraer’s forwards, drawing loud applause from the small but appreciative home crowd.

Eventually, even Wilson was beaten. A loose ball in the box was picked up by McDonald, who calmly lifted an angled shot over the keeper to give Stranraer a seemingly unassailable 3–1 lead.

But Clydebank refused to go quietly. With ten minutes remaining, Rankin grabbed his second of the game, giving the home side renewed hope. The closing stages were frantic, with Bankies laying siege to the Stranraer goal in search of an equaliser.

Shots came in from all angles, striking posts, bar, and defenders, but the visitors somehow held on through a combination of luck, last-ditch defending, and sheer resilience.

Clydebank's late pressure may not have produced the result they wanted, but it was an encouraging finish to a game that had looked lost. The long layoff may have dulled their edge, but the spirit and attacking intent remain firmly intact.

Match report written by Stuart McBay