Clydebank 2
Chelsea 2
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Match Report

A crowd of about 8000 were at Kilbowie Park to see Bankies play English FA Cup finalists Chelsea in a friendly game and curtain raiser to the season.

The town council were there as were some of Chelsea's supporters who had travelled up to see their team face Aberdeen earlier in the week.

Chelsea did not win at Pittodrie and surprisingly they did not win at Kilbowie either. Both teams scored two goals and that was as far as they got.

It had threatened rain earlier in the evening but the weatherman was kind and conditions were just perfect for good football.

Football fans came from all airts and pairts of the county and from Glasgow to see the game.

Missing from the Chelsea team was former Clydebank Junior player and Scottish internationalist Eddie McCreadie. Eddie was injured in the Aberdeen game and will be out of football for a few weeks.

Kilbowie Park has been given a new look during the close season and now there are concrete steps all round the park giving fans a firmer base to jump about on.

Bankies fielded most of their new boys in this game and most of them gave a good account of themselves against a slick competent Chelsea side that looked as though it would sweep the homesters down Kilbowie Road.

But the Chelsea Blues were in for a shock. In goal for Bankies was Dick Madden, ex-Celtic and Albion Rovers - and what a night Madden had.

The top class forward line of Tambling, Cooke, Osgood and Boyle had a rough time. They threw everything at Madden but it was his night and he wasn't letting anything by.

He brought off some truly miraculous saves and if this is his form every week Bankies will have no worries. He was definitely the personality of the match with referee Tom "Tiny" Wharton coming a close second.

The first half was fairly even with both teams providing attractive football then to minutes from half time big John Baxter, former under-23 Scottish international and Hibs player, tore through the Chelsea defence to nod the ball past keeper Bonetti after it had come off the upright.

The park went wild and droves of wee boys waving Bankies scarves and tammies roared onto the park and big John was engulfed.

Both teams made changes for the second half - Russell and Moy came on in place of Rutherford and Moore and on the Chelsea side Baldwin replaced Lloyd at centre.

Bobby Tambling equalised for Chelsea in 62 minutes and then the Blues began to turn on the heat but Bankies held out.

Tommy McGhee rammed home Bankies second goal in 73 minutes after a Fleming thunderbolt rebounded off keeper Bonetti.

Bankies held on to this lead right up to the last ten minutes when Osgood, lying unmarked, hammered home a Charlie Cooke cross.

A draw was a fair result and the fans showed their appreciation to both sides by giving them a great ovation. The Chelsea players were given a Bankies style reception after the game in the new Bankies club.

Match Report written by a staff reporter (Clydebank Press)