Ayr Utd 3
Clydebank 1
League (Division 2)

Match Report

To Somerset Park in the auld toon of Ayr as a change from the high-pressure areas of football. There to watch the deposed Ayr United start their campaign to regain lost status and to see Clydebank try to establish themselves as a worthy revival of the old club.

A quick impression was that method football has penetrated to the Second Division but that in the case of Clydebank an academic knowledge of the new formations is not sufficient. They need pace to make them effective.

Clydebank, spectacular in red jerseys with a diagonal white flash across the chest, played to a 4-3-3 pattern which they organised competently to pack their defence but that was only half its function.

They could not muster such manpower in attack, for the midfield three, McGhee, King and Baxter, once of Hibs, plodded behind the play in uncouth fashion.

Ayr United, in their black and white hoops, were partial to having four forwards swarming near goal and they were nippy, beyond the control of the clumsier men of Clydebank.

Mitchell and Hawkshaw were little but lively, the dark Ingram was aggressive and persistent, and at times resented by Clydebank's rear, and from this it should be understood that in attack the teams were not to be compared,

Even after such a brief look we would say that we are likely to see Ayr United back in Division 1 before Clydebank, and this is how things should have looked for Ayr have been longer in the formative years than the League babes, Clydebank,

There was an ideal start to make a contest. Moore scored for Clydebank in the third minute but Ingram shot a good goal and Mitchell headed one to match it to put Ayr ahead before half-time.

Clydebank tried a tactic in the second half which we have heard described as "rummel em up’ but Ayr applied the correct counter, "keep the heid," and the pressure stayed on Clydebank.

Ingram had his name taken for over enthusiastic persistence then got a goal through legitimate persistence and so was won an encouraging victory for Ayr which was appreciated by the 4000 home supporters but not at all by the bus loads of visitors from Clydebank.

Match Report by John Rafferty (The Scotsman)