Clydebank 1
Alloa Athletic 1
League (Division 2)

Match Report

This nothing at stake game started at a cracking pace which was kept until half-time. But despite both goals coming in the second half, the game deteriorated as time went on.

Alloa fielded a junior trialist in goal, while Bankies brought in McGhee at left-back for the injured Gray.

In five minutes, Alloa's centre-forward McCallan broke through, and with everyone expecting offside, he tamely tapped the ball into McDonald's arms.

Munro found himself in possession at the edge of the penalty area, but Alloa re-grouped, and soon the road to goal was cut off by about seven defenders

Alloa gained possession and raced upfield. Brownlie, with only McDonald to beat, shot wildly and the ball sailed wide of the target.

Just on the quarter-hour mark, Clydebank came close to scoring. Out on the right, Kane sent over a high, hanging ball. The Alloa keeper, under pressure from Munro punched the ball out. It came to Kane again, whose cross to the far post was cut out by an Alloa defender, as Wilson came racing in.

The referee's whistle had been heard many times for offside against the Bankies forwards. But Alloa's offside trap almost backfired in the 21st minute. Caskie ran on to a pass, with the advancing Alloa defence caught flatfooted. But the little winger dallied too long, and allowed the keeper time to advance, and push the ball for a corner. From the corner a good shot from Munro rocketed just wide of the keeper's right hand post and hit the stanchion.

By the 25th minute, Alloa's offside system seemed to be breaking down, as once again the goalkeeper was left exposed. He managed to advance in time to block a Kane shot with his feet.

Alloa's right-winger Jimmy Campbell showed a flash of temper when he brought down Hay, after the left-half had got to a long pass before him.

Brownlie should have put Alloa ahead five minutes from the break, when he completely missed a Laurie cross, injuring Hall in the process.

With seven minutes of the second half gone Jimmy Campbell lofted the ball over McDonald's head, but Fallon was on the spot to clear.

One minute later Clydebank took the lead. Wilson seemed to have held onto the ball for too long. just inside the area. But he managed to squeeze a pass through to Caskie, whose shot slipped under the goalkeeper's body. It looked as if the keeper was unsighted, but nevertheless this was hard lines on the trialist who had till then played a big part in keeping the Bankies at bay.

In the 61st minute Jimmy Campbell again fouled Hay, and this time was booked for his crime. The booking did not seem to have any effect on the player, as five minutes later he snatched a deserved equaliser for Alloa. A McCulloch cross was nodded down to his feet by McCallan, and the little winger tucked the ball smartly into the net.

In the 75th minute Alloa substituted Hill for Hodge, and two minutes later Mike Jackson came on for Wilson. By this time the game had lost a lot of its fire. Clydebank could not break down a solid Alloa defence, marshalled by Brown, and Alloa could not take advantage of their quick breaks upfield.

So the game, which started like a firecracker, fizzled out like a damp squib.