Clydebank 11
Clydebank U-20s 0
Friendly

Match Report

The Bankies handed starts to new signings Andy Leishman and Dean Cairns in this friendly match against the Clydebank u-20s side at Holm Park. It’s really a warm-up to pre-season with manager Gordon Moffat using the opportunity to take a family holiday, with Kirk Forbes handling matters for the day.

Around 170 supporters showed up to watch the Senior side canter to an 11-0 victory. The young boys showed up well for the first half-hour but fell to pieces after the water break midway through the first half when they proceeded to lose four goals in six minutes as the first team took a five goal lead into the interval.

For posterity’s sake, the goals came in the 19th minute from the returning Ben McLernan whose shot looped over the keeper thanks to a deflection. The floodgates opened when Ciaran Mulcahy danced past a couple of defenders a squeezed the ball home after 34 minutes. McLernan added the third when he stroked the ball home from the left side of the box a minute later. The 20s defence got themselves in a fankle just two minutes further on when Craig Truesdale pounced to dispossess then slam the ball into the net. The goalkeeper then made a hash of a clearance, but hit the ball straight to Adam Hodge. The full back slipped the ball across to McLernan who complete his hat-trick by tapping into the empty net.

Liam McGonigle, Nicky Little and Thomas Collins emerged for the second half replacing Cairns, Gallacher and McLernan.

Nicky Little opened his account after 56 minutes when he benefitted from a defensive error and he nipped the ball past the keeper. Liam McGonigle scored a beauty five minutes later when he smacked the ball into the top corner after a short corner kick. Thomas Collins made it eight from a free kick right on the edge of the 18 yards box that somehow sent the goalkeeper the wrong way. McGonigle added the 9th with a well-constructed goal with Thomas Collins providing the assist. Double figures were achieved with 8 minutes remaining when Ciaran Mulcahy sent a fine downward header into the corner from a Danny MacKenzie cross. Liam McGonigle wrapped up the scoring a few minutes from the end when he rounded the keeper and tapped in for his hat-trick.

As ever, this game was just to edge the players back into a competitive environment and get minutes into the legs. New signing Dean Cairns strolled through the game and was seen at both ends of the pitch making good use of the ball. He returned to the action for the last 20 minutes replacing Matt Niven. Fellow new man, Andy Leishman, as expected, commanded his penalty box and claimed corner kicks with ease, and his quick distribution looks like it will be an asset during the season.

The friendly during the week against Newmains has been cancelled, so there will be a marked step up in quality when we travel to Newtown Park to face Lowland League side Bo’ness United who finished in third place last season.

Match report written by Stuart McBay