Match Report
Clydebank brought the 1965-66 season to a fitting conclusion with an impressive 4-1 victory over Rangers Reserves at Kilbowie Park.
The scoreline reflected the Bankies' dominance over the ninety minutes, with the home side controlling much of the play and producing a series of attacking moves that kept the Rangers defence under constant pressure.
Despite that superiority, it was the visitors who opened the scoring after 35 minutes. Rennie found the net after Ronnie Wilson was unable to prevent the ball from trickling over the line, giving Rangers a lead that was somewhat against the run of play.
The advantage lasted only three minutes. Clydebank were awarded a penalty when a Rangers defender handled the ball inside the area, and Tony Moy stepped forward to drive the spot-kick into the net and restore parity.
The visitors nearly regained the lead before the interval when Wilson was left stranded during a goalmouth scramble. Fortunately for the Bankies, Vint's powerful effort struck John Wark and was cleared before it could cross the line.
At half-time the match remained evenly poised, but the second half belonged almost entirely to Clydebank.
The home forwards began to create chances at regular intervals and only a series of fine saves from Rangers goalkeeper Eadie prevented the Bankies from moving ahead sooner.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 53rd minute. Alex Stewart, one of Clydebank's recent additions from Maryhill Juniors, supplied a cross from the left and John McGill rose to head home.
Stewart's contribution was another encouraging sign for the future. Although he did not score, he again showed the qualities that had persuaded the club to bring him to Kilbowie.
As Rangers struggled to contain the home side, Clydebank put the result beyond doubt with two goals in the space of a minute. Moy scored the third after beating a defender and slipping the ball beyond Eadie, before Anderson added a fourth moments later. His effort struck the post and spun into the net from a tight angle, leaving the goalkeeper helpless.
The only blemish on an otherwise satisfying afternoon came in the closing moments when Eddie Jenkins was booked shortly before the final whistle.
The victory rounded off Clydebank's first season as a senior club in emphatic fashion and provided further evidence of the promise within a young side assembled by Jack and Charlie Steedman.
After the match the club announced its retained and released lists. Among those retained were Wilson, Small, Wark, McGill, Archie Rankin, Joe Rankin, Tommy McGhee, Tony Moy, Eddie Jenkins and Alex Stewart. Released were Horn, O'Brien, Hodgson, Holloran, Bustard, Connelly and McLeish as preparations began for what the club hoped would be an even more significant campaign in 1966-67.
Match report written by Stuart McBay
