Clydebank 1
St Johnstone 0
League (Division 1)

Match Report

The inconsistency with which referees interpret the rules of football was underlined yet again on Saturday as Bankies snatched a vital win over the league leaders.

Edinburgh official Eddie Pringle almost certainly struck himself off St. Johnstone's Christmas card list thanks to a controversial decision late in the game.

And if, as I suspect, Stuart Beedie's magnificent goal was chalked off for offside, then Mr. Pringle is to be condemned for petty-mindedness.

The incident which had the Perth contingent raging happened just six minutes from time with Bankies holding on grimly to a one goal lead gifted to them by Saints defender Alex Caldwell.

St. Johnstone forced a corner on the left, and although the ball was cleared, midfielder Beedie met it 30 yards out and hit a superb left foot shot low past Jim Gallacher.

But even as he turned to take the applause of the large Saints following, referee Pringle had taken the advice of his linesman and was pointing to the edge of the box.

Because of the gag on referees, we will probably never know why he disallowed the goal, one of the best of the season. But it would appear that St. Johnstone have become the latest victims of the crazy law over "interfering with play.

While Mr. Pringle would have technically justified in punishing any player caught in an offside position, why should any side suffer simply because in a mass of players leaving the penalty area, the last happens to be one of theirs.

That's exactly what happened to St. Johnstone. As Beedie hit his shot, players of both sides were racing out of the box. If a Saints player was in an offside position, and there's every chance that one was, then it could only have been by inches. Besides, the resultant free-kick was taken 10 yards from where the shot entered the area, so even then the "offender" couldn't have been interfering with play.

Only time will tell just how much of an effect the decision will have on St. Johnstone, but on the day it meant the difference between losing and drawing, between extending their lead at the top of the league. and being pulled back by Bankies and Hearts.
Certainly St. Johnstone were none too chuffed. Drew Rutherford was booked for his protests and, after the final whistle, keeper Mike McDonald went in the book for voicing his opinions too loudly.

But to the rest of the game, on a day when I could do nothing but heap praise on every one of the 23 players who took part. Faced with driving rain and a treacherous surface, they gave their all for 90 minutes and, while it wasn't exactly a wonderful spectacle, the 897 fans who braved the weather got as much value for money as could possibly be expected.

It was always going to take a mistake to break the deadlock and when the only goal did come along, oh boy, was it a mistake.

Faced with a high ball dropping towards him, and with Tommy Coyne bearing down at great speed, Perth skipper Alex Caldwell decided to take the easy option and knock the ball back to his keeper. McDonald, however, had ventured off his line, presumably to collect the ball without the aid of his centre-half.

To the despair of both, Caldwell's passback lobbed gently over McDonald's head and dropped agonisingly into the net.

Bankies then spent the remaining 24 minutes hanging on to the lead, although they almost found a way through the strong Perth defence on a couple of occasions.

Over the piece, Clydebank deserved their win in a grinding slog of a game. But they can think themselves lucky that Eddie Pringle and his linesmen have such a good eye for detail... and so little regard for the spirit of the game.