Cowdenbeath 2
Clydebank 0
League (Division 2)

Match Report

"We will play a lot worse and still win." That must have been on the mind of Bankies' manager Jack Steedman after Saturday's match with the Fifers. He had just seen his team defeated after having the major part of the pressure against a Cowdenbeath side which can consider itself very fortunate indeed to take both points.

Two goals — one in each half – resulting from defensive errors shattered what could have been a very promising display by the Bankies. They were moving the ball about very well and but for some sheer bad luck when the ball just wouldn’t break for them at all, could have left Central Park with both points and a few goals tucked under their belts.

Dougie Hay played his first full game since his disagreement with the management but the real eye-catchers in the side were Law, Larnach and Currie.

The two lans — Law and Currie -proved once more they are a force to be reckoned with in the midfield, and a little more experience plus some toughening up should see these two among the finest in the land.

Clydebank strikers Jim McPaul and Mike Larnach had no luck at all. They ran their hearts out in efforts to score but when skill didn't evade them, good luck did.

In one raid Larnach saw the opportunity for a shot but the effort was blocked by a defender. The ball rebounded to Currie but his shot was blocked. Hay picked up the loose ball and his long-range shot was held – if awkwardly — by McArthur.

As Clydebank continued to monopolise the play, the home crowd began to get a little impatient. A shot from Bostock in the 14th minute let them vent their frustration a little with a few "oooh's,” but the inside-man's effort was well wide.

Hay started off a promising move when he slipped a nice pass to Larnach who dummied the ball for McPaul to wallop — but he didn't wallop it hard enough and another chance was lost,

A shot from Cowdenbeath's Laing looked easy enough for Mike McDonald ... until it was deflected off a defender. Then the goalie had to perform a contortionist act to stop the ball.

Cowdenbeath started to fight back and, in the 26th minute went ahead through Bostock. Delaney failed to clear a kick-out from McArthur, and Bostock was on to the ball like a shot to belt it past McDonald.

A long, searching pass through the middle from Hay was aimed from the running Andy Roxburgh but the tall winger could not catch the ball, and McArthur safely gathered the ball.

Ten seconds after the restart Bankies almost snatched the equaliser. A cross from Currie was sent back to Law by McPaul but the number eight’s shot was blocked by Kinnell, who had an open goal behind him.

After a period of immense Bankies pressure, which saw shots from Law, Larnach and McPaul go close, Cowdenbeath went further ahead.

Delaney, in trying to clear a long throw-in from the left, accidentally back-headed the ball on to the foot of Thomson, who lashed the ball into the net.

Seconds before the final whistle a Gregor Abel header, who had come on for Currie, was blocked by McArthur before Bostock cleared the ball off the line.