Ashfield 0
Clydebank 4
Central League Cup (3rd Round)

Match Report

The Bankies Babes proved too hot to handle for Ashfield in the Central League Cup 3rd Round match up at Saracen Park as the youngsters dished out a 4-0 hammering. The result gave the Bankies their biggest victory of the season, and the first time the club has managed over three goals in a single game since October 2009. With injuries and niggles starting to pile up, Budgie McGhie decided to bring in the young team with no fewer than six changes from the line up that faced Cumbernauld United on the previous Saturday. Young Ciaran McElroy who signed earlier in the season on a delayed transfer from Dumbarton Harp also managed a place on the bench. It should also be noted that there was a peppering of some of the less young members of the squad in the starting line up including Stevie Dallas who does still run around like an 18 year old.

It was Dallas who created the first opening of the match after only three minutes when he bravely set up Paul Allum, whose diagonal drive was saved by McLenaghan. This opportunity was a false dawn however, as the opening 25 minutes produced very little to get the fans excited. Only the straight red card dished out to Ashfield’s substitute goalkeeper gave the crowd anything to shout about.

It was therefore out of the blue when the Bankies took the lead with 26 minutes played. After being awarded a free kick slightly off centre to the left, and around 30 yards out, Ross McPherson strode up to hit the ball. He struck it cleanly enough to the goalkeeper’s right, but it should have been dealt with comfortably. Instead he palmed back in front of his goal where the incoming Martin McComish gratefully tapped it in from all of three feet.

This roused the Bankies into a period of near misses. McPherson was unlucky not to score with two chances that came within a minute of each other. Paul Allum hit the bye-line on the right wing and sent in a near post cross. McPherson peeled away from his marker, but his first time shot was superbly pushed away by McLenaghan. Straight away, a gentle chip down the left flank was volley across the box by McComish. McPherson was on the end of it again, but this time his headed effort struck the bar and went over.

Ashfield who normally attack for fun were finding it difficult to get any change from the Bankies rearguard, and it was from free kicks that their shots on goal were coming. After 36 minutes Thomson hit the top of the crossbar from around 25-30 yards out. However, this brief glimmer for the home side was extinguished as the Bankies increased their lead three minutes later.

A high ball was nodded on by McPherson who had his best performance in a Bankies jersey to date. It found Paul Allum charging into the box, and in a finish not dissimilar to Darian MacKinnon’s against Cumbernauld just days earlier, he fairly planted the ball diagonally in to the corner of the net. The pressure was now on Paul Allum, as all of his previous 11 goals for the club have seen the Bankies go on to win the match.

It was no real surprise when the Bankies went further ahead in first half injury time. This time, Paul Allum turned provider as his free kick into the box was placed into the corner of the net via the head of Gordon Moffat

With the game as good as over Ashfield came out in the second half in an attempt to rescue some pride, and they did have a few attempts as the hour approached. Jim Smith had two quickfire attempts. A rasping shot from outside the box went narrowly past the post. The ref awarded a corner although it is doubtful whether Gonet actually helped the ball out of play. From the corner kick, Smith sent a low header towards the bottom corner, but McComish was well placed to clear the danger.

Although not having to push forward, the Bankies almost made it four after 63 minutes. Highlands met a McComish cross, and the ball found McPherson 16 yards from goal. He chested the ball down and shot first time. He did not catch the ball cleanly and McLenaghan who had a night to forget spilled the ball straight to Stevie Dallas. The Bankies front man will be disappointed he didn’t finish it off, but the Ashfield keeper at least made amends for his initial mistake by saving.

With the light starting to fade on what had been a beautiful day, the Bankies brought on Ciaran McElroy for his first start, and he didn’t disappoint by scoring the fourth goal in stoppage time. A quick throw-in by Mark Hailstones released the youngster, and he held off a challenge before slipping the ball past McLenaghan, whose positioning was questionable to say the least.

The Bankies defence of the Central League cup continues into the quarter final stage at least, and the young guys in the squad responded magnificently to the challenge. Ashfield will surely put up a better showing when the teams meet on league business at Holm Park before the end of the season. However, there was nothing but positives to take from the performance and result against a side that have given the Bankies real headaches in recent seasons. Clydebank now await Shotts or Cambuslang in the next round.

Match report written by Stuart McBay