Hurlford United 0
Clydebank 1
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

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Clydebank fans haven’t had much to cheer about in the last couple of months, but they can be more than happy with this hard working performance against their perennial bogey team Hurlford United winning by a single Nicky Little strike just before the interval.

The Bankies hadn’t won at Blair Park since 2011, and nine attempts later hopefully that particular jinx has now been laid to rest. It was also a first away win since December, and it was important to get back to winning ways on our travels, as our good form away from Holm Park has been a real trademark under Gordon Moffat’s tenure as manager.

Moffat has to take great credit for this result as his change of formation worked a treat in near farcical windy conditions at Blair Park. It must have been a borderline decision whether this game should have gone ahead in the first place, with the wind gusting towards the home end at a fair rate of knots.

The inclusion of Jimmy Grant adding an extra body in the midfield made a huge difference, particularly in the second half when the Bankies were quick to close down the spaces, not allowing Hurlford the opportunity to take long range pot shots at goal with the storm force gale at their backs.

As expected the Bankies completely dominated the first half. Goal kicks were returning into the Hurlford goalmouth or squirting out of play, and it was as difficult to attack as it was to defend in the wind with the players struggling to judge forward passes or control the ball coming at them like a cannonball.

Hurlford only made the odd sortie upfield, and failed to test Kieran Hughes. The best the home side could aim for was damage limitation in the hope they could overcome any deficit in the second half. And to a large extent they did that as the Bankies only managed to score once with virtually the last kick of the half.

A free kick swung in from the left by Joe Slattery was well controlled by Nicky Little in the box, and he took advantage of the space he made for himself by rifling the ball low past Wilson.

The Bankies support were unsure whether this slender lead would hold up in the second period after a number of chances were missed to take a larger margin of victory into the interval. Lee Gallacher had hit the crossbar and Jimmy Grant rattled a shot off the upright.

Nicky Little had put the ball wide from a good position in the box, and a further two efforts failed to trouble Wilson in the Hurlford goal. Set pieces had caused all sorts of bother, but the break of the ball was always unkind.

However, the Hurlford onslaught never really happened in the second half. Sure, they had most of the ball but they didn’t have anywhere near as many shots on goal as the Bankies did. This was due to tireless running and covering which you couldn’t fail to be impressed by.

The Bankies also did something that Hurlford couldn’t do, and that was create some chances against the wind. Nicky Little had a shot that cannoned off a defender and went out for a corner and Ciaran Mulcahy was unlucky when he rose to meet a Joe Slattery free kick only to see the ball float past the wrong side of the post.

The fact that Darren Henderson substituted virtually his whole attack speaks volumes about how the Bankies defended. Not once did Hurlford get in behind our defence and the midfield restricted any long range shots that the home side may have fancied.

Kieran Hughes was equal to the shots that did come towards his goal, tipping an Ally Love piledriver over the bar. A cross from Paul McKenzie which turned into a wind assisted shot met the same fate.

Towards the end, the Bankies managed the game superbly running down the ridiculous six minutes of stoppage time with ease for a very welcome three points.

It was very much a team performance on the day as it was all hands to the pump in the second half, but to single out a few Joe Slattery had an excellent game before having to come off early due to a hospital pass from Oisin McHugh which saw him get hurt. Nicky Little was much improved, and more like the player we know he can be, and Ciaran Mulcahy led the line well in trying circumstances.

It is now a waiting game for the Bankies as the next three weeks are blank before we complete our last two league games at the start of May. Beith remain 7 points adrift, but can really only throw it away with six games in hand. St Cadocs can also overtake us before we meet on the 4th of May, and Auchinleck can be snapping at our heels as they only have three league fixtures scheduled (at the moment) before the Bankies resume their programme.

Match report written by Stuart McBay