Clydebank 1
Dumbarton 0
Stirlingshire Cup (Final)

Match Report

Clydebank lifted the Stirlingshire Cup for the first time in their history and justice was seen to be done when John McCormack scored the only goal of the game.

It was fitting that McCormack should score because the utility player has given his all this season, and he wrongly blamed himself for denting Bankies promotion hopes when he missed a penalty in the vital game against Arbroath.

But all Premier League thoughts were cast aside last Friday when Bankies took on and beat their rivals from down the river.

To say Clydebank deserved to clinch the cup would b a gross understatement - thy had enough chances to win three games.

Bankies boss Bill Munro was quite delighted with McCormack's solitary effort, and he wouldn't be thinking of the missed chances when he got his hands on the giant cup, although it was nearly wrestled from his grasp by eager supporters after the presentation.

The match started quietly enough with both sides testing each other out. It was as if the players has forgotten that they were playing a cup final.

It was fully fifteen minutes before any of the two keepers were in action. A high cross from Colgan put Dumbarton's Williams under pressure and he was forced to turn the ball round for a corner.

Williams was in action four minutes when he had to beat away a fierce McLaughlin free kick.

Clydebank continued to press and McDougall, looking as lively as a startled deer, had the ball in the net in the 25th minute, only to see the ref - correctly - chalk the goal off for offside.

The game came to the boil in the last 15 minutes of the half with first Gallacher making a miraculous twist of his body to hold a Coyle effort, then, at the other end Williams diving magnificently to thwart a Colgan drive.

In a four minute spell before the interval Frank McDougall showed why he is rated in the £200,000 class.

The young Bankies striker netted his second offside goal, hit the post with a fine shot and, to round off, hit the post again with a perfect header.

Clydebank rattled the woodwork again just after the break when McCormack jumped between Sons defenders McCluskey and Gallacher to head on to the bar.

But Dumbarton's luck was rapidly running out and with 20 minutes to go, Bankies took the lead.

Colgan made space for himself on the left and sent over a cross which was perfectly met by McCormack. His header powered past the despairing Williams.

That was it. Clydebank had scored the goal that had long eluded them, and were content to play the remainder of the match out with no real threat from Dumbarton