Clydebank 0
Auchinleck Talb 2
League (West Region Premiership)

Match Report

Two quick fire first half goals gave Auchinleck Talbot a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Bankies at Holm Park in this league clash. The Ayrshire side are now closing in ominously on Kilwinning Rangers as they look to make it back to back league titles. Clydebank did Ok and definitely played a lot better than they did against Pollok last week. However, the Bankies are lacking the cut and thrust that Talbot displayed and never really looked like getting anything out the game once they fell behind.

It was a shame that the Bankies lost the goals in the manner they did as the match was quite keenly contested for the opening half hour. Talbot looked to have more imagination in the last third with the Bankies going for a more direct over the top ball. Both sides were mainly restricted to long range efforts. Kyle Munro stung the hands of Leishman early on and Jamie Glasgow rifled the ball over the bar when he had made himself some space.

When the opening goal came after 29 minutes, it was from a corner kick. Auchinleck always have a number of tall players in their line up and this is always an obvious danger. When the cross came over Waters appeared to grasp the ball and Young rose to head it out of his hands. Clydebank players claimed for a free kick that might have been given on another day, but really the Bankies keeper needed to be stronger to withstand the challenge. I don’t know if Leishman would have lost that goal down the other end.

Before the Bankies knew it, Talbot went two up. It was shocking that Auchinlecks’s centre half was able to dance deep into the Clydebank half with the centre midfield pairing of Black and Smith conspicuous with their absence. With the space opening up in front of him, McCracken hit a low shot goalward. At first glance Waters looked hopelessly out of position, but the ball may have taken a deflection on its way into the net.

Clydebank lost their way after this, but had a glorious chance to pull a goal back right on half time. Nicky Little fed the ball to Aaron Millar who cleverly side stepped a challenge before firing a shot at the goal. However, McCracken bravely threw himself in front of the ball and somehow deflected it away for a corner.

I don’t think many Clydebank fans expected a comeback in the second period and it was almost curtains when Auchinleck missed an utter sitter after 49 minutes. Shankland did the hard work on the right wing and drove in a low cross to the back post for Glasgow to tap in. Unbelievably, he mis-hit his shot back across the goal straight into the arms of the grateful Marc Waters.

Beyond this, Auchinleck were mostly in control and had a few near things, and as far as the Bankies were concerned Nicky Little could have scored at least one of the two excellent chances presented to him. Black set up the first chance, and Little did well to get a shot on goal under pressure from McPherson, however Leishman dived to his right to hold. The other chance with ten minutes to go was the move of the night with Bailey involved down the right wing with flick and back heels on display. The ball was delivered low into the box, but Little couldn’t keep his shot down as it sailed over the bar.

That was the Bankies last home game of the season and much like last year it has been a bit of a mixed bag. Overall, the whole thing has been a bit of a struggle ever since the Scottish Cup exit at Petershill. Even the games we won since then have been a bit gruelling with none of them done in any kind of style. I have every confidence that Gordon Moffat can attract the kind of players that fit with his ethos for next season and we can hopefully see the club make more of a concerted challenge at the top end of the table. This is particularly more enticing with the expected removal of the glass ceiling and the prospect of promotion to league football available to everyone.

Match report written by Stuart McBay