Clydebank 1
Kirk Rob Roy 0
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

Clydebank rounded off their season with a limp 1-0 win over Kirkintilloch Rob Roy at a sun-drenched Holm Park this afternoon. Nicky Little’s late penalty was enough to give the Bankies the three points in a real end-of-season match which they undoubtedly deserved to win. This result means the Bankies finished clear in fourth place equalling last season’s position.

There was not a lot to be taken from this match other than the debut of another one of the academy boys. Young Euan McMillan did not look out of place at left back in the Bankies defence, and this bodes well for the future. The more boys who make the breakthrough into the first team, then the more likely we can attract prospective talents into the youth set up.

The Bankies were in control for most of the match, but struggled to break down a stuffy Rob Roy side. You always felt that we would win the game if we could just get the vital opening goal. There wasn’t a whole lot of clear cut chances, but those that were created came from the home side.

In the first half, McMahon lifted the ball over the top of the Rabs defence, and found Nicky Little clear on the right hand side of the penalty area. He slid the ball across the six yard box, but Kelly and Mulcahy kind of got in each other’s way and only managed to bundle the ball past the wrong side of the post.

Alan Kelly, as per the game at Irvine Meadow during the week, had a strong first half with plenty of direct running. If he can refine his play a little, he could be a real threat next season. On one occasion he burst through the away defence forcing keeper McAllister to save on his left hand side.

It was Kelly again who created the best chance in the first half when he set up Ciaran Mulcahy at the edge of the penalty box. Mulcahy struck the ball well and it took a deflection on its way to goal, and It was only the quick reactions by McAllister that kept the ball out as he turned his body to save with his foot.

The second half was very much a continuation of the first. The only shots at goal Rob Roy had were from distance, and mostly from Pirrie who tried his luck on a few occasions. He did make Donnelly touch the ball over the top for a couple of corner kicks. One of these led to O’Kane heading around a foot wide when he could possibly have done better.

Other than that, it was mainly Clydebank on the front foot making some half chances but nothing more. The closest we came was almost accidental when a wayward cross by McMillan was heading straight for the goal, but McAllister was alert enough to cross his goal-line to save.

With the game appearing to be trundling towards a goalless draw, the Bankies were awarded a soft penalty after a handball by ex-Bankie Scott Walker. It came from a Gallacher free kick on the left wing which went through a couple of players and struck his hand. The rules around handball are a bit of a joke nowadays. Could Walker really have got his hand out the way of the ball? It seems unlikely to me. The received wisdom at the moment is that every handball is viewed as a penalty, and it is creating a ludicrous situation where obviously accidental handballs are being given as spot kicks.

The rules are the rules however, and just about the whole of Holm Park claimed for a penalty and referee Chris Hughes agreed. Nicky Little netted his ninth penalty kick this term and his 28th goal in total for the season. This equalled his best ever season’s tally from 2018-19. Little has now finished top scorer at the club in every one of his seven seasons at the club which is a remarkable achievement.

The Bankies managed the rest of the game comfortably and thus ended the match and the season with a win. In his after match interview Gordon Moffat said that the Bankies had the best home record in the division this season and I have to say I was quite surprised at this as we lost a third of our home matches in the league at Holm Park this season.

The 30 points accrued were indeed the highest accrued by any club at home, and there was definitely an improvement. We won a number of games by a two goal margin or more which was quite impressive. However, where we fell down was not converting chances in tight games against our main rivals. There were quite a few games where we had all the play but couldn’t get the vital opening goal. Games against Darvel and League winners Beith certainly meet that description.

In saying that, even turning a few of those defeats into draws probably wouldn’t have made a massive difference, but may have got us up the league a place or two.

The big difference at the end of this season compared to last, is that we seem to be closer to making a sustained challenge for the title. We actually scored a lot of goals in general this season – in fact one of the best ever with 110 netted in all competitions. The signing of Callum Graham could make us even more potent and taking chances in the ‘big’ games could make the world of difference to us.

If Gordon Moffat can pull off another signing or two of a similar calibre in the close season then we could have a lot to look forward to next season.

Hopefully, these match reports over the season have been informative (or possibly ill-informed), honest, and relatively unbiased. In April, all match reports across the Bankies Archive were viewed over 9500 times which was a record. I think it is important for there to be a record of all the matches played by our club and a record of all the players and managers who serve it.

If anybody has any suggestions for the website, or have any resources that might help expand it then please feel free to contact me.

Match report written by Stuart McBay