Clydebank 0
Alloa Athletic 2
League (Division 2)

Match Report

A rather disappointing display from the Bankies, who seemed unable to find an answer to the visitor’s defence. The main problem was their finishing power. Their midfield play was good and some of their attacks started off well but petered out inside their opponents eighteen-yard line.

Alloa, who were by no means a hard team to beat, got the breaks and obtained their two-goal lead within the first fifteen minutes. Rutherford got the first goal in 12 minutes from a Baker cross. He caught the Bankies defence napping. Big John McGill deflected a Flannigan shot three minutes later into his own net to give then their second.

Bankies tried very hard after this, and a few good chances were thrown away by terrible shooting on the part of the forwards.

So, this is how the game progressed. Bankies doing all the running and Alloa content to let them do so. Occasionally they broke out of their defence and made a rush for the home goal, But Bankies football was pretty solid. Negative football!

Before the game commenced it was announced that Bankies were fielding the same team two weeks running - the first time this has happened since the beginning of the season in August because of injuries.

The full complement of 18 players were all fit but here the run of luck ended for in the 75th minute of the game Tommy McGhee was carried off with a suspected dislocated shoulder and two minutes later Graham Small was sent off with an eye wound. He later returned.

After the match, however, it was learned that Graham had to have several stitches inserted, and McGhee was taken to Vale of Leven hospital.

The second half saw the park littered with bodies as both sets of players seemed to take exception to one another and the game was held up time and time again.

There is nothing more annoying when one is watching a game of football than to keep hearing incessant whistling from the referee.

At present a storm is brewing in Scottish football circles over the new tough line that referees are taking. One hears constantly of player being booked and more frequently ordered off. Whereas I don't entirely agree with fault finding, it is time something was being done about rough play and rule breaking.

The public are paying money to see football not a feud. I'm not singling out the two teams on Saturday but they both had their share of headstrong players.

However, this is the first time this season there has been signs of a rough-house on Kilbowie soil and probably we can put it down to too much enthusiasm - or frustration.

The frustration was, I'm sure, felt by many of the fans present. We all know Bankies need time, but how much longer must we wait, or how much longer can we wait.

A somewhat amusing incident occurred midway through the second half of the game. Some wee kiddie must have heard how the game was going for Bankies and decided they needed a rocket behind them! So, he sent one courtesy of Guy Fawkes!

It came sailing in from the heavens and landed inside the Alloa eighteen-yard line much to the consternation of Alloa's defence.

The game was held up for a couple of seconds while it was removed rather gingerly by a defender. What a laugh!

Match report written by Brian Cook (Clydebank Press)