Shotts Bon Acc 1
Clydebank 2
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

The Bankies kept up the winning habit with a solid, but unspectacular 2-1 victory over Premier League new boys Shotts Bon Accord at Hannah Park this evening.

Shotts played a fairly one-dimensional long ball direct game, scrapping for second balls, and they were obviously stunned by their baptism of fire at the weekend when they lost 3-0 at Beith. This made them a keen outfit, but once the Bankies had contained their early energy, we got the goal and had a strong middle section to the game and scored what looked like a killer second.

Unfortunately we conceded a soft goal that came right out of the blue and although never under a lot of pressure, we had to withstand some nervy moments particularly from set-pieces.

Gordon Moffat went with the formation and eleven who done most of the damage at Gartcairn on Saturday following Jamie Darroch’s injury. Craig Truesdale and Ben McLernan were declared fit and were on the bench alongside Liam McGonigle and Nicky Low.

The first twenty minutes really belonged to Shotts, as they dominated play, but created very little. They have the look of a side who won’t score many goals from open play but will give you problems from set pieces and the long throws that were being launched into the box.

We have looked extremely solid at the back since the arrival of David Syme, and the defence coped very well. It was just as well as the Bankies just weren’t clicking in the opening period with some poor passing and just a general not being able to get going. Shotts were getting a bit too close for my liking, although a low cross that was cut out by Leishman and had to be hacked away from the six yard box was about the best moment for the home side.

As is often the case, the underdog are hit with a sucker punch following a good spell of pressure. And that is what happened here as the Bankies scored with their first real meaningful attack.

A Thomas Collins cross was cut out by Duffy, but Nicky Little retrieved the ball and gave it back to Collins for a second try. This time he found Lee Gallacher who ghosted in at the near post to prod it past Thomson.

This signalled the end of Shotts dominance as the Bankies slowly but surely turned the game around. However, Clydebank were not really able to make any joy from their better play, other than speculative 30 yard shot from Syme which was well off target.

The Bankies resumed play at the second half in a more authoritative manner, and started to create chances knowing full well that a second goal would probably kill off Shotts’ challenge.

Lee Gallacher almost netted a second after 50 minutes when Mulcahy impressively held off a forward and laid off the ball for the winger. Unfortunately his low shot was deflected off the line with the keeper well beaten.

From the resulting, corner kick the ball spun free after several players had tried to get their head on it. Nicky Little reacted quickest, but his snapshot went down the throat of the keeper. Mulcahy was next as he got on the end of a Syme knock down from another corner. The striker couldn’t wrap his foot around the ball properly and it flew off target.

Shotts were completely out of the game at this point and the inevitable second goal arrived after 59 minutes. Adam Hodge swung a free kick into the penalty box, and it was a bit of a disaster for Shotts winger Taylor Evans. Under pressure from Thomas Collins he bulleted a header towards his own goalkeeper, and Thomson did a fine job keeping the ball out, only for Collins to follow up and pick his spot with the keeper lying defenceless on the ground.

Most observers would have thought the game was a bogey and the Bankies could take their three points up the road, but Shotts made four substitutions in short order and managed to pull themselves back into it. The goal really game from nothing as the ball was played across the edge of the penalty box, where Shotts captain Ally Martin was in acres of space to roll the ball past Leishman.

There was still twenty minutes to go, and really the Bankies went back into their shell and weren’t much of a force for the rest of the game. Gordon Moffat brought on an extra defender to stifle any thoughts Shotts had of finding an equaliser.

As a supporter, you fear the worse every time the ball went near our penalty area, but in reality Shotts never had a shot on target. Anything can happen at set-pieces though, and this was made worse as Andy Leishman looked like he may have picked up a knock and couldn’t take goal kicks.

The most important thing here was to back up the result from Saturday and that was a job done. Shotts will be awkward customers at home and some of the plastic pitch warriors won’t like going there in the middle of winter when the pitch becomes heavier.

The Bankies couldn’t have hoped for a better start, and it lines up a cracker against rivals Pollok who have also started with a 100% record. These games are usually fiery affairs and there should be a right good attendance at Holm Park to see the two best supported teams in the league go head to head as both clubs seek to maintain their winning starts to the season.

Match report written by Stuart McBay