Clydebank 1
Queen of South 3
League (Division 2)

Match Report

For the first quarter of an hour or so of this league game it looked as though Queen of the South were going to bear the brunt of Bankies penitence to their fans following the five-goal defeat by Celtic, as Dougie Hay and Co. buzzed around the visitors like a hive of disturbed bees. In that time there were several near things around Allan Ball in the Queens goal.

Peter Kane managed to squeeze in a shot between several defenders after Jimmy Caskie had set him up but Ball, reputed to be the best goalkeeper in the Second Division, was nicely positioned to take the ball perfectly.

Tommy McGhee found himself in the most frustrating of positions in the penalty box: that is with the ball at his feet, his back to the goal and a defender making sure he didn't get a glimpse of the net. No matter how hard be tried, McGhee couldn't get in his shot and the ball was cleared.

A 20-yard try from Hay just scraped the post in the 11th minute after Peter Kane had set him up.

But for all their attacking, Bankies were getting nowhere fast. This can be partly attributed to the massed Queens defence,

The nimble-footed Bankies forwards were finding it almost impossible to get the necessary breaks, for as soon as one man was beaten, he was replaced by another. It was from a quick defensive break-away the Dumfries side got their first goal.

A cross from Black found Hamilton at the edge of the box and the ex-St. Mirren player's "up and under" header caught Mike McDonald napping. That brought the visitors attack into life and, spurred on by Law and Donald, they started a constant stream of attacks.

Just after the half hour mark, ex-Hibs and Dundee pivot, Jim Easton neatly back-healed the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.

Ball saved his side's bacon a few minutes later when he did well to block a drive by Allan Munro, but 30 seconds later, Clydebank scored. As the Queens defence stood waiting for an off-side decision that never came, Jimmy Caskie ran on to a McGhee header on the right. As he bore down on goal, Ball came off his line. Caskie shot, Ball managed to block his effort, and Peter Kane, following up, found the net at the second attempt.

Play was held up for a couple of minutes just before half time when McGhee and Bobby Love had to receive attention after cracking their heads together going for the same ball.

The second half took on the same form as the first, with Bankies doing the initial attacking but slacking off and allowing the visitors into the game.

McGhee was first to test Ball with a left-foot shot but the keeper had no difficulty with it at all.

The net seemed certain to bulge as Alan Munro teed up for a shot from a Caskie cross - but the ball fell to Munro's wrong foot (his right) and he missed his kick altogether.

Norrie Hall was lucky to be let off with a lecture after a clash with Queens' Lex Law. Law obstructed Hall as both went for a ball. There was no more to it but, for some reason, Hall lashed out with his foot - he missed. Referee Bill Mullen called both men over and at the end of the lecture the players shook hands.

Not long afterwards Danny Gray came on with McGhee going off. Dave Mitchell moved to right-back with Gray on his left. Hall was pushed into the forward line. Queens answered by switching their wingers.

Not long afterwards, Mike McDonald brilliantly tipped a tremendous shot on the drop from Donald widely past. From the corner, Black had a great chance to score but from seven yards out, right in front of goal, he headed over the bar.

Queens wrapped it up 15 minutes from time when, with the home defence nowhere, McChesney combined brilliantly with Hamilton to send a low shot into the net.

There were several near things at both ends, but no more goals.