Arbroath 1
Clydebank 2
League (Division 2)

Match Report

This result - promotion-chasing Arbroath's first league defeat at home this season - was a feather in Clydebank's cap. But it was no fluke for the visitors ranked 4-1 by the bookies. The win was gained on merit.

A goal for the Maroons in the first minute by Payne appeared to indicate that the writing was on the wall for ‘Bankies — but they had other ideas which, in the end, gained them full points.

Both teams failed to harness the bitterly cold half-gale which blew down the pitch. But Clydebank played by far the better football against it. They kept the ball on the turf, and their fleeting raids, with clever man-to-man stuff and bursts of speed, had the Arbroath defence in difficulties.

Their man of the match was undoubtedly recent signing Jim McPaul. Arbroath never really got to grips with him, and almost every move he made carried with it an element of danger.

Clydebank also had the edge in mid-field, with the result that the Arbroath forwards seldom had the opportunity to show their potential.

Arbroath substituted Sellars for Chistiansen early in the second half in an effort to infuse more life into the attack, but he fared no better than his colleagues against a stout Clydebank defence. Clydebank also made a substitution after this, bringing on McGhee for McFarlane.

A McPaul header in the 75th minute brought the equaliser, and then the home fans in the 1,500 crowd were stunned when Munro shot home the winner five minutes from time.

There was absolute confusion in the Red Lichties goalmouth when Munro netted. Gallacher appeared to drop the ball into the path of no fewer than three Clydebank forwards, who were all pressing in on goal when the cross came over from the right.