The Spartans 1
Clydebank 0
Friendly

Match Report

As we leave the joy of last season behind, the focus now shifts to a new challenge in the Lowland League, with a host of unfamiliar opponents lying ahead. When you’re planning for fixtures against the Auchinlecks and Polloks of the world, you have a sense of what to expect—players, clubs, and rivalries that have developed over a decade or more. There’s something reassuring in that familiarity.

That’s what made today’s friendly against The Spartans such a wise choice. With several Edinburgh-based sides to face this season, the West-to-East journey will become a regular and perhaps monotonous feature of our calendar. This game not only gave the players a taste of what to expect from East coast opposition, but also offered a stern test against higher-level opponents. The Spartans finished fifth in League Two last season, just a few points shy of the play-offs.

Spartans came into the match further along in their preparations, having already beaten Ayr United 3–2 in their first pre-season outing. For Clydebank, this was our first run-out, so a narrow 1–0 defeat courtesy of a Mark Stowe free kick midway through the second half wasn’t a poor result by any means.

In truth, a draw might have been a fairer reflection of the game. It’s hard to fully gauge the relative merits of both sides, with Spartans fielding five trialists and another three on the bench. The Bankies gave debuts to new signings Owen Stott and Neil McLaughlin, while transfer-listed Craig Truesdale also started.

It was Truesdale who caught the eye in the early stages, filling Nicky Little’s usual role and showing plenty of intent. Adam Hodge, meanwhile, showed his commitment with a full-blooded triple tackle that drew appreciative applause from the Bankies fans.

After a quiet opening spell, Spartans began to find a rhythm. A nervy Matt Niven was caught in possession, and as the ball broke for striker Henderson, it took a brave challenge from the alert Owen Stott to avert the danger.

Henderson and left winger Russell posed a persistent threat. One neat combination ended with a Russell cross that Henderson headed goalward, only for Stott to make a superb close-range save. The young keeper was certainly enhancing his reputation.

The Bankies responded with an opportunity for Samson inside the box. With Black screaming for a pass, the striker opted to go alone, but scuffed his shot and the trialist keeper gathered comfortably.

Clydebank’s defence still looked unsettled. Henderson drove a shot wide, and then Russell was given a clear sight of goal after a hesitant clearance. With the ball sitting up nicely, the Spartans No.11 tried to lift it over Stott, but he fluffed his effort badly.

At that point, the Bankies began to slow the game down, keeping possession and taking the sting out of proceedings. This spell of control allowed them to grow into the match and finish the first half the stronger side.

David Syme headed wide from a good cross on the left, and later volleyed over the bar from a well-worked corner routine. Dean Cairns missed a great chance when the Spartans keeper fluffed a clearance under pressure from Aaron Black. As the ball spilled free, Cairns lashed his shot high over the bar.

As the half drew to a close, Nicky Low nearly broke the deadlock with a fine 25-yard drive that had the trialist goalkeeper diving full stretch to his left, only for the ball to skid inches wide.

At the interval, Spartans made four changes while the Bankies introduced Arran Preston for his first outing in Bankies colours. As in the first half, Spartans looked to assert themselves early, but failed to gain a foothold, and Clydebank gradually turned the tide again.

There was little in the way of goalmouth action in the opening 20 minutes after the restart, but Spartans took the lead from a controversial free kick on the edge of the box. From their perspective, it was a well-taken set piece. From Clydebank’s, Stott will feel he should have done better.

Stowe’s stuttering run-up made it clear he was going to shoot rather than cross, and Stott left too much of a gap to his left. Though he reacted quickly and got a solid hand to the ball, he couldn’t keep it out.

The Bankies pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages and were only denied by three superb saves from the Spartans goalkeeper.

First, he dived to his right to parry a fierce strike from Keir Samson. Then came a stunning point-blank stop from a Neil McLaughlin header after a David Syme cross. Finally, Adam Hodge drilled in a low cross from the right, and McLaughlin met it first time, only to see the keeper tip it wide at full stretch.

These were exactly the kind of tight matches that the Bankies often found a way to win last season, but it wasn’t to be this time.

In truth, the result doesn’t matter too much—at least, that’s what you tell yourself after losing a pre-season friendly. Still, this was a decent first outing against a strong Spartans side, trialists and all. The Bankies were also short of a few regulars, and the management will likely be quietly satisfied with the performance.

As we look ahead to the season, there’s bound to be a mix of nerves and cautious optimism. I’m not expecting another blistering start like last year, but if we can settle quickly into our new surroundings, there’s every reason to believe this could be another memorable season for the club.

Match report written by Stuart McBay