Pollok 2
Clydebank 1
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

The Bankies fell to a last day defeat at Pollok by two goals to one at Newlandsfield Park and as a result tumbled down the table to finish the season in fourth position. The game was a microcosm of the season as a whole where we dominated for long spells, but didn’t take our chances, only to be punished at the other end of the pitch.

Just about all the challenging clubs in the league had a 20 goal plus striker in their ranks. Nicky Little was yet again our top performer, but he managed just 10 league goals this season with 16 overall. We simply didn’t score enough goals, and didn’t have a proper goalscorer who could pull us through in the clutch moments.

This is just one area where you can point to that meant our best chance ever to win this league didn’t happen. But it is clear our form in the latter part of the season really cost us a shot at the title. By the end of January we had lost just two games from nineteen, but ended up losing six from the last eleven. You just can’t have that kind of form in the run-in.

The four game losing streak in February knocked us off our stride and we never really recovered. We were generally very good at home this season picking up 32 points, which was only bettered by Beith who earned 33. This was despite the two costly defeats by Gartcairn and Largs Thistle in that disastrous February

It was our away form which has been a real backbone of strength during Gordon Moffat’s time as manager where we haemorrhaged points in the second half of the season. We won four of our first five games on the road, but picked up just two further wins in the rest of the season. Goals were hard to come by away from Holm Park with the 19 goals scored being the third worst in the whole league, though this is countered by having the best defence having conceded just 16.

These are just some of the facts from the season, and it is up to the management to find the root cause as to why this group were not able to push on from the position of strength they held at the end of January. Gordon Moffat has pretty much put his faith in the vast majority of the squad for next season with sixteen signed up, many of whom have been at the club for several seasons.

Whether this is the best way forward remains to be seen, but it certainly only leaves room for four or five new faces for the new season. Auchinleck Talbot look invigorated, and the challenge of the big-spending promoted sides Johnstone Burgh and Drumchapel, who join fellow extravagant spenders Gartcairn and St Cadocs only makes the task even tougher.

The Bankies knew a win at Pollok today would secure second place in the league, but we wasted chance after chance in the first half. Nicky Little was the worst offender squandering umpteen good positions in the box. The worst of which came from a perfect through pass from Jimmy Grant, but Little’s first touch was terrible and he allowed himself to be shut down by a defender.

Other chances came and went with Frazer Johnstone blasting the ball over the bar from a great position, and Matt Niven taking forever to get the ball under control when it broke to him from a corner kick. He ended up having his shot closed down.

Pollok had some moments of their own, the best of which came from Andy Gallacher who hit the side-netting on the rebound after a Forde shot was blocked.

The home side started the second period stronger, but it was the Bankies who took the lead after 55 minutes with a wonder goal that would surely have won the goal of the season for the club had the vote not already taken place.

Lee Gallacher chipped a corner kick to the edge of penalty box, and Nicky Low stepped forward and smashed the ball first time on the volley into the top left hand corner of the goal. You are not likely to see a better goal anywhere and was a truly glorious strike.

It all counted for nothing as the Bankies found themselves 2-1 down just four minutes later, The equaliser was scored by Gallacher who cut in from the left hand wing and his reverse shot appeared to take a deflection taking the ball out of Hughes reach.

The same player put Pollok ahead 60 seconds later, but there was a clear offside in the build-up. Docherty appeared to be a good yard offside when he was released down the right wing. The linesman let it go, and Docherty played a perfect pass into the near post for Gallacher to steer home.

Pollok sat back after this with the aim of catching the Bankies on the break. It was this age old problem we seem to have against sides who employ this tactic against us where we don’t seem to have the wherewithal to break a team down. This is where you need a striker who can get you something out of nothing or a creative midfielder who can create something. We seem to be lacking in both of these departments at the moment.

In saying that, we should really have came away with a draw when Nicky Little missed a real sitter. Lee Gallacher had cut the ball across the penalty area, and from around six yards out Little hit a left footed shot straight at Longmuir. Had it been anywhere else then it would have been a certain goal.

With both St Cadocs and Auchinleck winning, even a draw was not going to be enough, and despite some late efforts from Alan Kelly we fell to defeat and to our lowest league position since way back in August.

Overall, there is probably some progression from last season, though the manner of how we fell away makes it hard to see. It is a big year for the management next season. They have nailed their colours to the mast by re-signing most of this years squad. Recruitment will have to be spot on if they are to coalesce to bring about a title challenge or some silverware back to Holm Park. It has been a disappointing end to what looked like such a promising season at the turn of the year.

As Clydebank fans this feeling is nothing new, but no doubt we will all be back at the end of July anyway to start all over again.

Match report written by Stuart McBay