Clydebank 2
Blantyre Vics 1
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

Clydebank just edged past Blantyre Vics by the odd goal in three thanks to a stoppage time penalty by Ross McPherson. The Bankies were handicapped for 65 minutes playing with ten men as Adam Hodge was sent off for the third time this season, however the ten men were dominant for most of the match. Towards the end Clydebank began to lose their way as the substitutions seemed to have a negative effect on the balance of play and Blantyre who were dreadful for the most part thought they had snatched a point when Kearney scored with just six minutes remaining. It was to be hard lines for the strugglers as they conceded a clear penalty for handball with seconds left.

Clydebank didn’t have their strongest line up on the pitch with three central defenders missing meaning Oisin McHugh was given a rare start. Regular starters, Gallacher, Slattery and Donnelly were all on the bench.

The Bankies are notorious slow starters this season scoring just five goals in the opening fifteen minutes from 48 league strikes. However, for once they got off to the perfect start. A prodded through ball by Mulcahy saw Liam McGonigle in clear space with just the keeper to beat which he duly did with ease.

McGonigle has just signed a new contract and he almost added a second after eight minutes when he dispossessed a defender and sent a low diagonal shot just wide of the post. He then almost scored another by accident when his left footed cross was missed by Little and almost snuck in at the back post but for a great save from King.

Blantyre were competing well and should have equalised after 17 minutes when McKenzie turned a defender inside the box. He had a slight angle but was thwarted by Stevenson who was quick off his line to block the shot.

Back down the other end all the scoring opportunities were falling to McGonigle. This time a Munro cross was knocked towards the back post by Black. It was a great chance for the in-rushing McGonigle but he made a poor connection on the ball and it dropped into the keepers arms.

Then came the sending off for Adam Hodge after 25 minutes. He looked to be on the unlucky side to be given a straight red, but when you stick your leg in after you have over-run the ball those kinds of challenges rarely go unpunished by the ref nowadays. It was incidentally the 7th red card dished out to a Clydebank player this season and something that needs looked at.

Gordon Moffat quickly re-arranged his side dropping Chris Black to right back, however this was allowing Blantyre too much time and space on the ball in the middle of the park and for a while the away side looked the better team. However, the manager quickly addressed this and returned to a more attacking formation and from then on Clydebank were almost in complete control.

It was at this point that Kyle Munro started to come into his own, and he made a fantastic forty yard run with the ball. He unleashed a powerful drive from the edge of the box which unfortunately went straight in the direction of the keeper. This was a prelude to a great second half display from Munro who was the stand out player on the pitch.

Despite being a man down the Bankies were well on top for the first half hour of the second half. If they had just put away one of the many opportunities that were created the nail-biting ending could have been avoided.

Blantyre were all over the place in this period and were giving the ball away from some of the most ridiculous positions. It seemed like every two minutes there was a shot at goal, but the finishing was just off. The only thing you can say in mitigation is that most shots were from around the edge of the box as the Bankies never really got in behind their defence.

So, there was a dipping volley from McGonigle which came after Mulcahy won a high ball with his back after 52 minutes. Two minutes later Munro created some space but shot well over. Then Munro knocked Jones off the ball just outside the box, and he threaded a pass to sub McKinlay who twice had shots blocked. Blantyre then almost committed suicide by chucking a throw-in into their own box. They were promptly dispossessed and Johnstone worked the ball onto his left foot but fell whilst shooting and screwed it wide of the post. Just after, Johnstone was fouled twenty five yards out and Munro played the advantage but his daisy-cutter went inches wide with the keeper beaten. Munro, who was everywhere, then showed superb dribbling skills, and set up Mulcahy from the edge of the six yard box, but he prodded the ball off target. All those chances and nothing to show for it.

Blantyre who had been getting progressively worse could actually have scored a goal in the middle of all this. A cross from the left was completely missed by Stevenson. This is unfortunately the fatal flaw in the youngster’s game. He is too small and does not have enough presence in his box, and it is chaos sometimes when he comes for crosses. The Bankies had a massive escape when the ball rattled off the post.

The final fifteen minutes saw the Bankies lose their way. Maybe the extra effort of being a man down was starting to tell, but it seemed the substitutes that were chosen were not on the same level as the players they replaced. A slender advantage is always precarious and Brennan sent out a warning with a 20 yard shot that just went wide of Stevenson’s left hand post.

With six minutes left disaster struck. A throw-in from the right was not dealt with properly by McHugh and the ball was won by Kearney at the edge of the box and he sent a vicious low shot first time that gave the Bankies keeper no chance.

It was hard not feel a little bit sorry for Blantyre for what was to come next. A minute into stoppage time, the Bankies pressed forward and Byrne delivered a great cross to McPherson, who shot goalward. The ball quite clearly struck Kerr on the arm and in today’s climate that is a penalty. It was a bit harsh booking the defender however, as it was hardly deliberate. McPherson took the spot kick himself and put it away professionally to wrap up the points for the Bankies. Gibson could not stop protesting and was given the inevitable second yellow card for his troubles.

The Bankies deserved to win. There is no doubt about that. It looked like it was going to be a comfortable night until the red card. Even so, it looked like the three points would be staying at Holm Park, However not getting the second goal almost proved costly and there have been one too many late escape this season. This means the Bankies go back to third top of the table and have another of the bottom three, Rossvale, at home on Saturday.

Match report written by Stuart McBay