Clydebank 3
Brechin City 0
League (2nd Division)

Match Report

Clydebank, 9-2 favourites to win the new Second Division Championship, kicked off their campaign with a home match against Brechin.

Not surprisingly, Willie Munro stood by the side which scored that great victory over Arbroath to qualify for the final stages of the League Cup.

Disappointingly the crowd although larger than average for a league match was a good deal less than for the Arbroath match around 1500.

The opening minutes were somewhat scrappy as both teams took time to start. A quick 1-2 between Hall and Henderson saw the skipper fire in a shot that was just wide. Abel was looking dangerous coming forward and almost scored the opener in the 10th minute. A great move with Larnach left the full back with a chance but his 15 yard shot swerved wide.

Brechin posed little threat to the home defence and a snap shot from the edge of the box by Greer was their best effort flying narrowly over the bar.

Bankies took the lead in the 25th minute. Cooper floated over a corner from the left and as Norrie Hall and Morton of Brechin Challenged for the ball it broke from them and gently lobbed over the keeper into the net.

There was no doubt that Bankies deserved to be ahead at this stage but they received a fright in the 32nd minute. Weir broke clear on the right and his cross was deflected by Goodwin towards the net. However McKenzie produced a great leap to clutch the ball on the line. This was the only time in the match that the visitors looked dangerous.

As Bankies pressed Sime was booked for a foul on Larnach. The homesters should have scored two minutes from the interval when a perfect Hay cross found the blond head of McCallan. However, uncharacteristically, Joe headed wide from fully six yards.

Bankies fans were roaring their delight at the brilliant start their team made to the second half. Davie Cooper left three defenders hopelessly beaten as he raced for the bye-line. His cross was headed strongly towards goal by Hay but Ritchie dived to produce a remarkable save, touching the ball round the post.

Bankies tactics of Dougie Hay ghosting up the left on the blind side was causing all sorts of problems for the City defence and three times almost resulted in the second goal.

Hay's moment of glory was only delayed however until the 62nd minute. Henderson, a tireless worker in midfield sent a glorious pass to Larnach who raced to the bye-line before crossing hard across the face of the goal. Hay, running in at the far post, hammered the ball high into the net from an acute angle much to the delight of the young support behind the goal.

Bankies were coasting now and moving the ball about well. Cooper was in sparkling form on the right wing and even centre half Goodwin had time to join in the attacks sending two blistering 20 yarders fractionally over the bar.

With 10 minutes remaining, Billy McColl replaced the tiring Dougie Hay, who thoroughly deserved the cheers of the crowd as he left the pitch. The substitute, however, was not to be outdone and with his first touch of the ball he laid on the third and final goal.

A flick to Larnach saw the centre go round Hopcroft in a flash and place the ball well out of Ritchie's reach for a well deserved goal.

This was an easy victory for Bankies who never at any time looked in any danger to a poor Brechin side. Although some of the fans were looking for more goals, none could complain about the standard of Bankies leading up work which at times was excellent. It was a good start to the league campaign with outstanding performances from Goodwin, Henderson, Cooper, Larnach and Hay