Clydebank 0
Forfar Ath 1
League (Division 2)


Clydebank
0 - 1
 Forfar Ath

League (Division 2)
Saturday, March 7th, 1970
New Kilbowie Park. Att. 827
3:00 PM Kick-off

Goalscorers
None. Dick (7)

Team Managers
Jack Steedman
Unknown.

Starting Eleven
1 Dick Madden
2 Davie Mitchell
3 Danny Gray
4 Dennis Ruddy
5 Jim Fallon
6 Dougie Hay
7 John McGunnigle
8 Bobby Love
9 Paul McMillan
10 Alan Munro
11 Jimmy Caskie
Ian Beatson 1
Milne 2
Cairns 3
Knox 4
Hopcroft 5
Sime 6
Waddell 7
Kinnear 8
Dick 9
May 10
Stewart 11

Bench
12 Tommy McGhee
McKinnon 12

Substitutions
Tommy McGhee for John McGunnigle (75)
None.

Cautions
None. None.

Red Cards
None. None.
Match Officials

J Roberts (Referee)




Match Report


A simple goal early in the first half cost Clydebank the match. The home side stood rooted to the spot and when Dick ran through them to nod a Knox free-kick behind Madden, that was it. The midweek departure of O'Brien to Southampton certainly took some of the drive out of the Clydebank attack, but they still created and scorned enough chances to win the game comfortably. How did the 'Bankies manage to lose this game? By all accounts they should have had a “walk-over”, but no matter how they tried they could just not find an equalising goal.

Immediately the game got underway Forfar started a devastating attack, an attack which completely took the Bankies by surprise. Forfar kept the ball well away from the Clydebank forwards, playing very close, low football which just could not be beaten.

The only goal of the match came in the seventh minute when a free kick by Knox found Dick, who sent a header flying into the back of the Bankies net.

Shocked by this opening, the Bankies immediately took stock of the situation. They brought the ball under their control and kept it for the rest of the match. Moving down the wing, Munro tried unsuccessfully to put a shot in the opposition's net.

The first half continued in this fashion, Clydebank making all the moves but just not getting anywhere. It they tried a little teamwork they could have easily made their efforts worthwhile.

But with Gerry O'Brien off to Southampton, they were reminiscent of a ship without a rudder.

As the whistle sounded for the start of the second half, the Bankies went straight into attack, moving the ball easily through the opposition defence. But their efforts were wasted.

Forfar retaliated with a sprint toward the Bankies net, but they were quickly stopped by Gray and Ruddy, who, with some skilful football, managed to clear the ball away.

This game developed into a battle of nerves, for although there was not much constructive play the ball was being chased from one end of the field to the other without any harm being done.

The pressure which the Bankies were exerting eventually bore fruit in the last ten minutes, when they managed to force four corners in five minutes.

The pace was proving too much for the babes, for they played these four corners as if their life depended on them. They hammered the ball without thinking, and all their efforts were for nothing.

This was one of those games where one side deserved to win but just did not make it. The Bankies should have won. They did all the work, they tried to make the breaks, but it was they who lost the match.

A lot of excuses can be made for the Bankies - the loss of Gerry O'Brien for one but making excuses will not change the situation of losing to a rather insignificant team.

Match report written by Graham MaLachlan (Clydebank Press)



Squad Statistics (as at March 7th, 1970)


1969-70 All Time
League Cups All
Dick Madden (GK) 11 - 5 - 93 -
Jim Fallon 23 - 102684
Paul McMillan 14 - 2 - 394
Davie Mitchell 25 - 10 - 1444
Dennis Ruddy 28 - 6 - 74 -
Danny Gray 26 - 10 - 45 -
Dougie Hay 23110 - 832
Bobby Love 26 - 91602
John McGunnigle 6 - 1 - 191
Jimmy Caskie 28111048128
Alan Munro 27101056930
Tommy McGhee (sub) 22710312622







Recent Results


League results since Clydebank's last match
3rd March 1970
Falkirk4-1Albion Rovers
4th March 1970
Queen's Park2-1Arbroath
7th March 1970
Alloa Athletic0-1Queen of South
Arbroath5-0Dumbarton
Berwick Rangers3-0Stirling Albion
Brechin City2-0East Stirlingshire
Clydebank0-1Forfar Ath
Falkirk5-0Montrose
Hamilton Accies3-2Stenhousemuir
Stranraer4-2East Fife

League Table (as at March 7th, 1970)


Pld W D L +/- Pts
1. Cowdenbeath 29 20 6 3 +44 46
2. Queen of South 29 18 5 6 +19 41
3. Arbroath 30 18 3 9 +37 39
4. Falkirk 24 17 3 4 +40 37
5. Stirling Albion 29 14 8 7 +20 36
6. Alloa Athletic 28 16 3 9 +20 35
7. Dumbarton 28 14 6 8 +11 34
8. Berwick Rangers 27 14 4 9 +21 32
9. East Fife 28 11 4 13 -3 26
10. Montrose 27 9 6 12 -7 24
11. Albion Rovers 26 9 4 13 -9 22
12. Queen's Park 29 9 4 16 -15 22
13. Clydebank 28 7 8 13 -19 22
14. Forfar Ath 29 10 1 18 -22 21
15. Stenhousemuir 31 8 4 19 -43 20
16. Brechin City 25 8 3 14 -20 19
17. East Stirlingshire 26 7 5 14 -22 19
18. Hamilton Accies 29 7 4 18 -29 18
19. Stranraer 28 7 3 18 -23 17