Darvel 1
Clydebank 0
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

It’s the strangest thing to be saying that the league title challenge is all but over when you are five points clear at the top of the table, but essentially today’s defeat at Darvel means the Bankies are extremely unlikely to be crowned champions at the end of the season unless there is a miracle of epic proportions.

The next few weeks are going to be a difficult pill to swallow, as we watch several clubs slowly but surely close the gap, then finally overtake us. As it stands Beith, Darvel, Auchinleck and possibly St Cadocs all look likely to achieve this, though dropped points may mean that not all do.

Today’s narrow 1-0 reversal at Darvel saw the Bankies lose four consecutive league matches for the first time since December 2019. And although Gordon Moffat made a huge statement by making six changes to the line-up after last week’s shocker, the Ayrshire side were always the better of the two teams and I don’t think anyone could really grudge them their victory.

You couldn’t fault the players for effort in a more traditional 4-4-2 set up, but the key difference between the sides seemed to be one of physicality. Darvel are a tall, strong side and that is where they had the advantage over the Bankies. Thomas Collins, for example, worked tirelessly but got very little change out of Syme and Bronsky.

The first half of the game produced very little in the way of goalmouth action. Darvel controlled possession in the main, whilst it looked like the Bankies were only ever going to be a threat on the break. The only real piece of quality came from Nicky Low who pounced on a loose ball and hit a first time 35 yard dipping volley, which brought out a quite superb one-handed save by Andy Leishman.

Despite their territorial dominance Darvel only carved out one real opportunity themselves when a downward header from David Syme was comfortably held by Kieran Hughes on his left hand side.

Darvel came out with renewed vigour at the restart, and went all out to score the opening goal. Ross Caldwell passed up the best chance of the match thus far after 47 minutes when he was put through on goal. However, a combination of Hughes and Darroch managed to block the ball and it spun up over the bar onto the roof of the net.

The first twenty minutes of the second half were the most perilous for the Bankies as they rarely threatened and found themselves on the back foot for the most part. Jordan Moore twice should have done better with clear sights on goal, but failed to hit the target with either attempts.

After 65 minutes Clydebank finally pieced together their best move of the game. Adam Hodge made a solid return to action, and it was his mazy run from his own half that found McGonigle in space, and he fed the ball to substitute Oisin McHugh who was bombing done the left hand channel. Unfortunately, the defender was unable to control his shot and the ball screwed wide.

With the game returning to the point of stalemate, the Bankies gave away a mystery penalty kick after 75 minutes. It was all due to some ragged passing between Low, Johnstone and McHugh on the half way line. Darvel pounced on this indecision, stole the ball and charged into the penalty box.

I can’t say what happened exactly thereafter as the ball was pinging about like it was on a pinball table, but in the melee the ref awarded a penalty. Perhaps someone closer to the action can clear up what actually transpired. In the end up, Ross Caldwell tried to be too smart with the penalty as he tried to do a slow roll into the corner, but Kieran Hughes read it perfectly pushing the ball away on his left hand side.

This gave the Bankies a lift and they had their best moment just afterwards. Good pressing forced Syme into a mistake as he tried to pass back to his keeper. Truesdale intercepted the ball and immediately laid it back for Collins. His attempt to curl the ball into the top left corner was thwarted by another fine save from Leishman. From the resulting corner kick, Creag Little headed narrowly over the bar.

With the game looking that it may just end up goalless, Darvel struck with four minutes remaining. A fairly straight-ish free kick, was met with a glancing header from Craig Moore who diverted the ball into the net beyond Hughes. Clydebank were unable to rally in the closing minutes and Darvel saw out the game quite comfortably.

I’m actually having trouble summing up this game and what it means. Despite the despondency amongst the supporters, they still showed up in terrific numbers today. The anger from last week seems to have subsided and acceptance has set in, so the result didn’t raise too many eyebrows despite a better performance.

In the short term, at least while it is still mathematically possible to win the league, Gordon Mofftat has to find a way to get this team to win. There has been a lot of chopping and changing in the line up and that is a symptom of the team not playing well as the manager seeks to find the answers to the problems. The sooner we can return to a stable starting eleven the better.

Beyond that, a more in-depth analysis of what went wrong will have to be made. That should involve several players being moved on in the summer, and a mini-rebuild of sorts is required. Moffat has already signed up several of the more important players for the next year or so, but it is definitely time to move in a different direction with others.

Next week, we have Troon coming to Holm Park. The Portland Park side are embroiled in the relegation battle so they will be highly motivated. We need to get any sort of win to break this slump. I’ll take a dodgy last minute, deflected own goal. Anything. Just so we can move on.

Match report written by Stuart McBay