Clydebank 0
Petershill 1
League (Super Premier Division)

Match Report

Two games played and no points on the board. That is the all-important statistic on the league table for the Bankies after following up last week’s defeat to Rob Roy by losing to a single goal against a strong looking Petershill outfit. The hard thing for the Bankies to take will be the fact that they haven’t played badly in either of these matches, but such is the strength of this league that each and every point is like gold dust and will have to be fought for tooth and nail.

The main difference between Petershill and the Bankies was the quality of the goal scoring chances created. The statistics show almost identical figures, but the reality was that the Peasy could have won by a larger margin if they had been more clinical with their finishing.

In the first half McGregor hit the outside of the post with a vicious shot after Turnbull had glanced a header through to him Burke then set up Dickson with a neat flick, and the midfielder’s shot had to headed off the line by Campbell. Dickson came close twice more when a shot in the box was well blocked by Hamilton, and then his worse miss was when he guided a free header past the post.

The Bankies were also getting shots on goal the best of which was a first time drive from Paterson on the edge of the box which hit the side netting. MacKinnon should also have done better when he controlled the ball in the box, but his hurried shot flew over the bar.

The second period was a scrappy affair with very little goalmouth action, however the chance of note fell to the visitors. Burke had a chance when he scooped the ball past the post after some dreadful attempts by the home defence to clear the ball. On the hour Paul Bell, was caught out with a ball over his head, and only the quick reactions of Hamilton prevented McGladrigan from opening the scoring.

With eighteen minutes remaining the Bankies created their best chance of the match when Tommy Martin clipped the ball over the Peasy defence. Stevie Dymock beat the offside trap, but he needed too many touches to get the ball under control and this allowed McNeil enough time to come out of his goal and deflect his shot away. In fairness to Dymock he was facing away from goal when the ball came to him, but he will be disappointed he didn’t do better with the opportunity.

The Bankies were about to be taught again about missing gilt-edged chances when the fell behind minutes later. Petershill had been the better side overall, and up until Dymock’s chance they had looked the more likely to score. Perhaps that was the jolt they needed. They put a fine passing move together, aided by not enough pressure being applied by the Bankies defence. A back heel set up Dickson on the edge of the box, who had way too much time to stroke the ball into the net.

It looked like the winning goal and it almost certainly was when Ross McPherson was ordered off two minutes later. It’s rare to see any player ordered off for diving, but even more so when the incident occurs outside the penalty box. That’s exactly what happened to McPherson, and it appeared more of a stumble than anything.

That was pretty much that as Petershill comfortably saw out the last ten minutes or so. A tough baptism of fire for the Bankies in games that were ear marked for possible fixtures where points could be obtained. “A long, hard season”, were the oft muttered words on the terracing. It remains to be seen whether this is the case.

Match report written by Stuart McBay