Drumchapel Utd 0
Clydebank 4
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

When writing match reports I try to avoid hackneyed old cliches if I possibly can. So here goes: Drumchapel provided the fireworks display in the sky before the game, but the Bankies provided the fireworks on the pitch (Ta-da!) with a truly outstanding second half display as our new self-styled local rivals were routed by four goals to nil.

What had been a nail-biting first half for the Bankies as they found it difficult to break down a Drumchapel side who were content to allow us to have the ball and try and hit on the break with their fast counter attacks. The main threat came through Clydebank-born David Hopkirk who has lost none of the pace that saw him play at a higher level at clubs such as Dunfermline and Stenhousemuir, and the Drum could easily have led going into the interval.

However, Clydebank were a revelation in the second half, and after scoring the vital first goal, Drumchapel’s one-dimensional game plan fell apart and the four could easily have been five or six by the end.

The frustration boiled over for Drumchapel captain Martin Orr, who was sent off for throwing some kind of punch/ elbow in the direction of Keir Samson, who had cleverly provoked the full back moments earlier.

It was a great evening’s work for Keir Samson, who was my man of the match. He has been knocking on the door of the starting eleven for a while, and with Ciaran Mulcahy being doubtful before the game he was given his chance, and he took it. The other changes to the first eleven were Aaron Black in for Craig Truesdale, and Owen Carey given a promotion following his great debut from the bench on Saturday.

The home side had the first chance of the match after four minutes when MacKenzie headed over from a corner kick on the left hand-side and the Bankies quickly responded with a Black shot following a Samson nod-on. His effort was on target but easily saved by Scully at the near post.

It quickly became evident how the game was going to pan out as Drumchapel were happy to allow Clydebank to have all the possession, with Dean Cairns sitting incredibly deep as he tried to dictate the play. It was an effective plan for the Drum as they took advantage of any break downs in play and tried to counter at pace. They had some joy with this tactic, and the Bankies defence struggled to deal with this at times with some uncharacteristic hesitation in the middle of the pitch.

However, when the Bankies did make their passes, it was clear to see you could get at the Drumchapel defence. One fine move was finished off by Aaron Black from a Gallacher cross, but the forward was flagged offside. Unfortunately, most of the Bankies passing was in our own half where we couldn’t really hurt the opposition.

The game continued in this vein until the closing stages of the first half when Drumchapel had their best spell of the match and probably should have taken the lead. Munir Idris showed superb individual skills as he waltzed into the penalty box past at least three Bankies defenders but possibly over-ran it slightly as he prodded the ball into the side netting.

The ball was in the Bankies net just minutes later as Hopkirk bundled the ball past Leishman from a cross from the right wing, but fortunately the linesman flagged for offside.

At this stage there wasn’t a great deal between the sides, and there was no real inkling of what was to follow. Indeed, the start of the second period began in much the same fashion as the first with Drumchapel immediately looking for a fast counter-attack.

As ever, the first goal in football matches turns out to be absolutely vital, and it was the Bankies who got it after 52 minutes. Keir Samson who had chased everything down relentlessly was fouled at the edge of the box. And, who else but Nicky Little was there to deliver the crucial below.

He lifted the ball up and over the defensive wall from the free-kick and beat Scully on his right hand side. To be honest, the ball was hardly in the corner of the goal, but still the keeper was nowhere near it.

With the fear in their eyes, Drumchapel immediately began to have an almighty brain-fart as they were two down within a minute. Not dealing with a loose ball, some twenty-five yards from goal, they all stood and looked at each other as both Lee Gallacher and Nicky Little burst through on the keeper. The former simply played the ball to the latter and it was a simple tap-in to the empty goal for his 20th goal of the season.

One further minute on, and it was almost three as Aaron Black almost grabbed a third as he directed a Nicky Little cross goalward. It was only the outstretched hand of Scully that kept the ball out.

The Bankies were now playing like world-beaters and every attack looked like it was going to end in a goal. Drumchapel’s composure had totally gone and they were in serious danger of being totally over-run.

It was only a matter of time before goal number three arrived and it came from a corner kick won after Scully tipped a McGowan header over the bar. From the set-piece, McHugh’s looping header clipped the crossbar and fell at the feet of Keir Samson who tapped home for a well deserved goal.

It was all about game management from this point, though a clearly rattled Drumchapel were starting to leave the boot in at times. Samson had rankled the home defence all night and he had a little set to with Martin Orr on the nearside touchline. The Drum captain took umbrage at this and threw a punch/shoulder/elbow at Samson and the referee had to get involved. Samson was booked, and Orr who had earlier been cautioned for dissent was ordered from the field.

With an extra man the game was done and dusted, and the fourth goal scored in the 2nd minute of stoppage time was just the crowning touch. Liam McGonigle supplied the cross with an inch-perfect cross to the back post for Aaron Black to nod home for his second goal in just four appearances.

For every great attacking performance, it is also usually accompanied by a great defensive one. Andy Leishman was deserving of his clean sheet tonight with a couple of vital stops and one in particular with involved him diving full-length to claw the ball off the line. That was deep in stoppage time and is the kind of commitment to the cause that runs through the whole team and hopefully propels us towards the league title.

Best Bankies on the night for me were David Syme, Andy Leishman, Owen Carey who looks a real class act, and pick of the bunch Keir Samson.

We are now seven points clear at the top of the table with a fantastic February so far. We couldn’t have asked for things to go much better, and confidence must be very high at the moment. The relentless nature of this league continues and there are simply no easy games as we visit Newlandsfield to face rivals Pollok on Saturday. There should be a very large attendance at this one despite Pollok’s current woes, and we know they will always raise their game when the play us.

Match report written by Stuart McBay