Match Report
Clydebank suffered their worst defeat under Gordon Moffat as they were completely trounced by the Celtic B team by six goals to one. The healthy Bankies support sat in stunned silence as they witnessed as abject a performance as this group of players has ever produced.
For the last twenty minutes I put my camera down, sat back in my seat, numbed by what was unfolding in front of my eyes, and wondered how I was going to put this into words. Gordon Moffat gave us a few in his post-match interview: “embarrassed”, “not acceptable”, “apologise to the fans” and “dismantled” were a few that stood out.
We were heading for our joint worst defeat since our return in 2003, a 6-0 loss to Kilbirnie Ladeside in 2015 when we were relegated from the Super Premier League, but Nicky Little’s stoppage-time free-kick prevented that dubious accolade from being shared.
Moffat talked about how we were better in the closing fifteen minutes of the first half, when we were already 2-0 down, and the opening period of the second until the third goal went in. It is hard to argue with that assessment, but where I differ is when he felt we started OK in our shape.
The warning signs were there almost immediately. We have had little intensity throughout pre-season, and the trials and tribulations in overcoming Newton Stewart on Saturday, who with the greatest of respect are going to be the whipping boys of the league, showed exactly where we are at the moment.
We were too passive, allowed Celtic way too much space and time, and they flooded forward in numbers unchallenged. What made it worse was that you would have thought we were playing the Celtic first team, such was our hesitancy on the ball. It was like we were paralysed with fear and uncertainty.
At least, as always, Moffat took full responsibility and didn’t make any excuses, but so too must the players. If I’m being perfectly honest, there are one too many players in the Bankies squad who have been enjoying the smell of their own farts too much. This might come as a shock, but you still have to prove your worth on the pitch, and hopefully tonight’s result brings a heavy dose of reality.
The likes of Auchinleck Talbot, Kilwinning Rangers and Cumnock mean business, and they will trample right over the top of us if we don’t get our act together.
Celtic probably could have scored ten tonight. The first came after 17 minutes when McHugh gave the ball away inside the home half, leaving the defence hopelessly exposed on that wing. In fairness, nobody expected Kennedy to smash an unstoppable shot from 20 yards via the underside of the bar.
Before the Bankies could regroup, it was two. Dargie cut inside onto his left foot, and it looked more like a cross than a shot, but it sneaked in at the back post before Leishman could react.
As Moffat alluded to, the Bankies were better in the closing stages of the half, but in reality Celtic could have gone further ahead as Grant made a superb block from Obidiwe from close range. Then Leishman made an ill-advised dash from his line that almost resulted in another goal.
Clydebank did force a series of corners, and had Cairns’ shot on the stroke of half-time gone in rather than hit the outside of the post, then we may have had a different second half.
With Nicky Low on the pitch for the second half, no doubt to try and stabilise the midfield, Clydebank did try to force their way into the game, but Shaw in the Celtic goal had little to do. Rossiter’s shot over from a rehearsed corner was the closest we came.
The inevitable happened as our endeavours to get back into the game resulted in spaces being left in behind. A break down the left saw an angled shot pushed away by Leishman, but with numbers in hand, Clearie was able to find the net.
With 30 minutes still to go and the heads visibly down, a pasting was on the cards. Out of ideas and resolve, Celtic began picking us off at will. They were almost walking the ball into the net, and I’m still not sure how the ball ended up in the net for the fourth goal.
The fifth came from a poor clearance following a corner kick, and Charlton fired the ball through a ruck of legs to add to the misery. Celtic’s scoring was completed in the 83rd minute when an exposed Andy Leishman blocked a shot, only for Dargie to ram the rebound into the net.
The Bankies did have a couple of wee chances to get a goal or two out of the game. McLaughlin headed over the bar, and Niven struck the post with a header. It was Nicky Little who gave the Bankies an inconsequential crumb when he delivered a fantastic free-kick into the top corner of the net with the last kick of the ball.
For a “who cares at the moment” stat, this was Clydebank’s 50th consecutive game in which we have scored. The last time we failed to score in a game was against Largs Thistle in April 2025.
In trying to write this report, I’m trying to balance voicing the displeasure and anger the fans are feeling against not going overboard. We have been used to winning a lot in the last couple of years and have not faced much adversity in that time.
Gordon Moffat’s tenure at the club, and indeed Clydebank FC as a whole, has been on an upward trajectory. Nothing lasts forever, however, and this is the first time we’ve been staring down the barrel in quite some time.
It is still early in the season, and Gordon Moffat, his management team and all the players now have a job on their hands. There really is only one way to respond to this, and it must start against Troon a week on Saturday.
Match report written by Stuart McBay
