Clydebank 0
Dumbarton 0
League (Division 2)

Match Report

Two booked and one sent off. That's the Bankies' tally after the Ne'erday derby between the "old firm of the second division.

If you get the impression that was a tough game, then you are right, although part of the blame must rest on the shoulders of referee Kellock.

In the second half especially, I think he lost control of the game as tempers on both sides began to fray. He booked two Clydebank men and sent one off but should have had one or two Dumbarton names in his wee black book as well.

Tommy McGhee was first to be booked, when he retaliated against sons' right-half Ferguson, and the same Dumbarton player was involved in a clash with Clydebank left back Danny Gray; this led to the latter being sent off, after the referee had consulted the stand-side linesman.

The third Bankie in trouble with the referee was Dougie Hay, who was booked 30 seconds from half time for a heavy tackle on Watson.

The bone hard Kilbowie pitch did not help matters either, as many of the free kicks that were awarded, were due to players losing their footing at the last minute when going into the tackle.

The conditions nearly cost the visitors a goal when, in the 70th minute, Gerry O'Brien latched on to the ball after it broke loose in the Sons' penalty box; but the defence recovered just in time.

The first real chance of the game fell to Dumbarton inside-left Johnny Graham, when he pounced on a clearance from Dick Madden and sent a great shot just past the upright.

For the opening 25 minutes most of the play was concentrated in the middle of the field, with both defences playing very soundly.

Centre-half Jim Fallon completely blotted out Roy McCormack, the Sons' inside-forward, while David Mitchell and Danny Gray kept a tight rein on the Dumbarton wingers.

In the 25th minute, Sons' goalkeeper Davie Anderson brought off a tremendous one-handed save from a Tommy McGhee header when a goal seemed certain, and he saved his side again in the 40th minute when he touched a David Mitchell shot over 'the bar.

The Dumbarton players claimed for a penalty in the 34th minute when Roy McCormack was brought down in the penalty box by Dennis Ruddy, but the referee waved play on.

Dumbarton started the second half off with a muffled bang, when, with only a few minutes played, Roy McCormack missed a "sitter" on the goal line after good work by Boyd and Watson.

Clydebank came right into the game now, pinning the Sons into their own half of the field. Gerry O'Brien was at his best during this period as he teased and tantalised the Sons.

He could beat man after man with incredible ease and his passing of the ball was superb. In the 63rd minute, came the Bankies' best chance of scoring.

Jimmy Caskie, who was operating on the right wing, cut past Muir to the bye-line and sent a beautiful pass across the face of the open goal, but there were no takers.

Five minutes later, Bobby Love was assisted from the park with a pulled muscle in the back of his leg and Paul McMillan came on in his place.

Tommy McGhee dropped back to take up Love's position and McMillan took up at centre-forward.

Dick Madden brought off a great save in the 76th minute when he stopped a point-blank shot from Eddie Ferguson.

Then came the incident that resulted in Danny Gray being five minutes early for his bath, and a minute after that, came the miss of the match from Sons' left winger Alan Watson.

A cross from the right found the winger standing all on his own in front of the goal with Madden out of position and he incredibly swept the ball over the bar.

Both teams put in a storming finish trying to take both points but at the end, a draw was a fair result.

Best for Dumbarton were D. Anderson, Campbell and Graham, while best for Clydebank were both full-backs and O'Brien.

Match report written by Tom Malcolm (Clydebank Press)