Dumbarton 1
Clydebank 0
League Cup (Group 7)

Match Report

This game had all the promise of a real cup-tie thriller but unfortunately for the 3,000 or so fans the game did not really live up to expectations until the last twenty minutes when Bankies staged a fight-back that brought them no luck.

Admittedly, Sons won the match but they could have made it a lot easier for themselves. At the end they were hanging on for grim life to their slim lead as the Clydebank side threw everything at them in a desperate last ditch effort to equalise. Credit must go to the Sons' defence who handled the young Bankies forward line with confidence.

The game opened quietly enough with the visitors having most of the play. The goal when it came in the 15th minute, was not only a surprise to Clydebank but also to the man who scored, winger Alan Watson.

The wee man chipped over a corner kick and was astounded to see the ball slip through 'keeper Madden's hands into the net. The young Bankies side took a long time to recover from 'this and Dumbarton failed to cash in on that fact.

The first-half deteriorated into rather mediocre football and neither side seemed to be getting anywhere. Both 'keepers had a fairly quiet time of it and most of the play came to a halt when the respective attacks got to each other's eighteen-yard line. The defences worked hard with the half-back men coming up with the forwards. Hay worked well for Clydebank and found a partner in Love who was more often in defence than in the attack. Ferguson and Graham were the Sons' never-say-die men. especially Graham who worked like a beaver.

A lack of imagination up front killed this game as far as the fans were concerned, and everyone was glad when the whistle went for half-time.

The second-half opened with a bit of needle coming into the play, and Referee Grant was a busy man for the space of the first quarter lecturing players and giving fouls right left and centre, some of them warranted but on the whole he gave the impression of a man rather whistle happy.

After 17 minutes of the second-half had gone, Bankies brought on Tommy McGhee for inside-left Cumming. Almost immediately the powerful McGhee nearly got his side's equaliser when he smashed the ball net-wards from about six yards, but Steve Anderson in the Sons' goal managed to block the shot.

McGhee seemed to be the spur that the game needed and there was a more noticeable urgency about the Bankies' attack as they slowly began to build up pressure. The Sons' defence was
just as determined to hold out and Muir appeared to have O'Brien tied up, so much so, that the wee fellow had to move into midfield to look for the ball. McKay on the right had Caskie in his pocket and with these two players being watched, Munro in the middle was not getting the service. John McGhee at centre- half for Sons was beating him to all the high balls.

Some excitement came when Caskie collected the ball on the right and worked his way systematically through the Sons' defence to find McGhee on the right wing. McGhee switched the ball to the left. Hay, coming in like an express train, hit the ball from 20 yards and Anderson had to move smartly to touch the ball over the crossbar.

This then became the picture as the end drew near. Bankies hammered the Sons' defence but the home attack were not just sitting back acting as spectators. Several break-aways almost ended in disaster for the visitors but Dennis Ruddy, newly returned to their side, and cool Jim Fallon at centre-half, managed to hold the trio of Watson, Jenkins and Moffat at bay.

A sensational incident two minutes from time should have given Sons another goal. Watson was pulled down by Madden and the referee pointed to the penalty spot despite angry pleas from the Bankies players. Kenny Jenkins stepped forward to take the kick and slammed the ball wide past the goal.

Match report written by Unknown (Lennox Herald)