Clydebank 5
East Stirlingshire 5
League (Division 2)

Match Report

A ten-goal thriller unfolded at Kilbowie Park as Clydebank and East Stirlingshire played out a pulsating 5-5 draw. The game was a chaotic affair, with both defences struggling to cope with the attacking verve on display.

There was a last-minute scramble to even field a Clydebank team, with John Baxter, a departing player on a free transfer, arriving just before kick-off. Despite the uncertainty, the Bankies started brightly, with Fleming forcing the East Stirlingshire trialist goalkeeper into an early save.

The deadlock was broken after five minutes when Tony Moy converted from via a Simpson deflection. However, East Stirlingshire responded swiftly through ex-Clydebank player Arthur Hamill. This set the tone for the first half, with goals flowing freely.

Jim Fleming restored Clydebank's lead with a neat finish from a Moy pass, before Moy himself extended their advantage to 3-1. The visitors, however, had a weapon in the form of striker Donachie. He bagged the first goal of an excellent hat-trick in the 28th minute to reduce the deficit capitalising on shaky defending from Clydebank's trialist goalkeeper Porter. Fleming netted his second just after the half hour for the Bankies fourth, but Donnachie kept the Shire in contenton as the sides entered the pavilion at half-time with the hosts in the lead by four goals to three.


The second half started with a bang, as Clydebank's ever-reliable Davie Mitchell netted his side's fifth. However, East Stirlingshire refused to roll over. Their junior trialist winger pulled one back in the 75th minute, before Donachie capitalised on another Porter error to equalise ten minutes from time.

Clydebank should have secured the victory, but their late lapse in concentration allowed East Stirlingshire back into the game. The visitors even threatened a dramatic winner, but ultimately a draw was a fair reflection of a wide-open encounter.

Match report written by Adapted by Stuart McBay