Clydebank 1
Troon 0
League (WoSFL Premier)

Match Report

Well, that was the most comprehensive 1-0 victory you are ever likely to see. The Bankies thoroughly deserved to win a high tempo match against a Troon side who despite playing some attractive football themselves could find no way past an absolutely impenetrable Bankies defence.

If we go on to win the league from here, the meagre 12 goals conceded in 21 games including ten clean sheets so far has been in no small part responsible for the success of the team this season.

This win takes us up to a colossal 55 points, just five short of Beith’s winning total from last season, and we still have nine games to play. It is only really Johnstone Burgh who have any chance of catching us, but it is getting to the inconceivable stage that they could put together the run of results required to do so, especially as they are about to suffer a huge fixture backlog due to their involvement in the latter stages of the Junior Cup. It would also be necessary for Clydebank to suffer a catastrophic collapse which does not seem likely at all.

Despite there being just one goal in it, had the scoreline ended 4-0 or 5-0 instead then I don’t think Troon could have complained as the Bankies pretty much controlled the game from start to finish, and if there was going to be a small grumble it would be that we just didn’t score the goals we probably should have.

It just shows the depth in the squad we have available to us at the moment. With the news of Chris McGowan’s eye injury filtering out that is likely to sideline him for a few weeks, it was met with better news that Nicky Low is now recovered from his hamstring injury and available for selection.

To combat this Adam Hodge returned to right back, allowing Jimmy Grant to team up with Dean Cairns in the middle of the park. In the forward areas, Black, McGonigle and Samson were given the nod ahead of Gallacher, Truesdale and Mulcahy who were all on a very strong bench.

It was Keir Samson who would be the hero of the night with a fantastic individual performance (particularly in the first half) capped with a stunning goal all of his own making. The fast pace of the game suited Samson to a tee, with Clydebank’s ultra-fast transitions causing all sorts of problems. Even when Andy Leishman retrieved the ball, he was constantly looking for the quick throw out to turn the play around.

It wasn’t just Samson’s tireless running into spaces that had the Troon defence in terror, he was defending from the front, making blocks, and acquiring possession for his side high up the park. It was a real tour de force by Samson, and the fact that his goal in the third minute of stoppage time turned out to be the winner made it all the more special.

In truth, the Bankies should have already been a couple of goals to the good by this time. Burgess had made vital stops from Samson, Little and Cairns, with Aaron Black probably missing the best opportunity when he took a heavy touch when he tried to round the keeper.

The goal when it finally arrived was a belter, and it was all about Keir Samson. He was quick to dispossess a Troon player who had mis-controlled the ball. He took it between two defenders, cut inside onto his right foot and curled a beauty of a shot which soared over the despairing dive of Burgess. One – nil Clydebank with the last kick of the half.

Troon tried to up the ante in the second half. They had very little sight of the Clydebank goal in the first 45. Kyle Gilroy had shown David Syme a clean pair of heels to reach the ball first down the left channel. But Syme, knew exactly how to position himself between goal and attacker, and made a wonderful block to frustrate Gilroy.

There was a real spell heading towards the middle of the second period, when it seemed Clydebank were creating a chance every other minute. Syme, McGonigle and Black all had good chances, and the woodwork prevented an own goal. Even when Gallacher came off the bench, he couldn’t put the ball in the net either, but he was unlucky as his volley took a deflection and went off target by millimetres.

Troon did have some moments, most notably a low cross from the right wing that somehow evaded a touch when it seemed like any one of five players could have put it in, and a shot deep in injury time that required a rare save from Andy Leishman.

I’m not one to blame or talk too much about referees, but Euan Birch must have had the head assessor out watching him tonight. On at least three occasions he told players to move up the pitch as they were taking throw-ins too far back. You very rarely see that. It is normally only when players are trying to steal yards that they bother to get involved.

Also, the odd yellow card for Troon captain Mark Morrison, whom he sent off the field to replace his shinpads. Morrison tried to get back on the pitch unsuccessfully, and he ended up booking him when he came on without permission.

The other thing which I suppose I shouldn’t complain about really is the gamesmanship the Bankies have been employing by removing the extra balls around the pitch towards the end of games. Birch spotted this and ordered the balls to be returned. I wasn’t aware it was in the referee’s gift to do this, but he probably has a point. It is a bit unseemly and more befitting of junior football, rather than the professional club we aspire to be.

It will be no surprise to hear that my man of the match was Keir Samson, though there were several top performances throughout the team. Nicky Little tends to get most mentions when he scores, but he showed his worth in other areas tonight. Jimmy Grant did a fine job filling in for Chris McGowan, beside the excellent Dean Cairns. And we might as well go for the whole defence who were solid as a rock.

We travel to Bellsdale Park the home of the current league champions on Saturday to face Beith Jrs. They will have something to prove at a ground that Clydebank have not won a league game at since 2012 with only one extra time win in 2020 to our name in that time.

Match report written by Stuart McBay