Match Report
Clydebank's difficult introduction to Second Division football continued with a 4-0 defeat to Montrose, although the scoreline scarcely reflected the balance of play for much of the afternoon.
The Bankies made a bright start and were the better side during the opening half. John McGill headed narrowly over from Billy Horn's cross after ten minutes, while a sustained spell of pressure kept the Montrose defence fully occupied without producing the breakthrough their play deserved.
The home side also felt they should have been awarded a penalty just before the interval when Graham Small was brought down in what appeared to be the box. Referee Mr Hutton instead awarded an indirect free kick, a decision that left Clydebank frustrated as the sides went in goalless.
Making his debut between the posts, junior trialist Steve Anderson had little opportunity to influence proceedings before the break and could do little about what followed after half-time.
Montrose reshuffled their side at the interval after John Paton was forced off through injury, with substitute Frank Strachan going to the left wing and George Doull switching to the right. The tactical change had an immediate impact.
Five minutes after the restart Doull collected a pass from Gordon Wallace before driving a 20-yard shot beyond Anderson to put the visitors ahead.
The goal transformed the contest. Wallace was again involved in the second, his header setting up George Falconer to score after 70 minutes, before the centre-forward added a third seven minutes later after pouncing on a loose ball.
With Clydebank chasing the game, Ernie Collumbine was pushed into attack in an attempt to spark a recovery, but the gamble failed to pay off. Instead, Montrose completed the scoring two minutes from time when Doull, restored to his familiar left-wing position, lashed home his second goal of the afternoon.
The final margin was a harsh one on a Clydebank side that had matched their visitors for long periods and looked the more threatening before the interval. However, Montrose's tactical adjustment after the break changed the complexion of the match and condemned the Bankies to a seventh successive league defeat.
The search for the club's first Second Division points continued, but there remained a belief that patience would be rewarded. As the *Clydebank Press* concluded: "The boys are all pretty young; they're playing a new type of football and given a year or two they'll prove their worth."
Match report written by Stuart McBay
