Tranent 0
Clydebank 5
League (Lowland League)

Match Report

The Bankies produced their most formidable performance of the season as they swatted aside the much-fancied Tranent by five goals to nil at Forester Park. Up until now, Clydebank’s wins had been more functional than inspired, but this was a different level entirely. From the first whistle, the players were sharper, quicker, and hungrier — and the result was a demolition job that will have the rest of the Lowland League sitting up and taking notice.

Tranent could hardly point to excuses. The red card that reduced them to ten men after 25 minutes made their task harder, but by then the Bankies were already two goals up and firmly in command. What followed was ruthless. And for Gordon Moffat, it was a red-letter day — this victory marked a record 18th consecutive away league game unbeaten, stretching back fifteen months.

Moffat made two changes from the side that had snatched a late win against Stirling University. With Dean Cairns injured, Adam Hodge came in for his first league start of the campaign, Jimmy Grant shifting inside to cover Cairns’ role. Further forward, Keir Samson returned to the starting eleven, with Lee Gallacher dropping to the bench. Such is the flexibility in this squad that reshuffling the attacking options hardly seems to weaken the side.

From the off, it was clear Clydebank were up for the fight. Tranent, a big, physical team fancied as title contenders, were keen to stamp their authority on the game, but the Bankies matched them stride for stride and stole their momentum almost immediately. Samson and Neil McLaughlin both had early half-chances before the breakthrough arrived.

It was Samson who struck first, meeting Nicky Little’s low cross with a deft first-time finish into the near post. The celebrations from the large travelling support set the tone, and moments later the Bankies doubled the lead. A long throw sparked a bout of head tennis in the box before the ball dropped to Aaron Black. In red-hot form, Black needed no second invitation and rifled the ball into the net — his sixth goal in five games.

Tranent’s afternoon got worse when Ben Miller was shown a straight red for a kick to Jimmy Grant’s head. I didn’t catch the incident live, but a Tranent official with video access suggested Grant had been holding Miller’s leg and the forward was merely trying to shake himself free. Whatever the intent, the referee saw enough to dismiss him, sparking fury from both sets of players. Nicky Low and keeper Kelby Mason both saw yellow in the aftermath, but once tempers cooled, the game never descended into nastiness. In truth, Clydebank were so dominant that any bad blood seemed pointless.

The third goal, just before the break, was the pick of the bunch. Hodge, impressive on his return, curled a sublime pass down the right. Samson burst clear and whipped the ball across goal for McLaughlin, who arrived on the run and tucked a controlled finish into the bottom corner. A clinical move, beautifully executed, and it left Tranent with a mountain to climb.

Half-time offered the hosts brief respite, but the pattern was set. With Grant and Low orchestrating midfield, Clydebank never looked threatened. Grant filled in superbly for Cairns, showing bite in the tackle and composure on the ball, while Low pulled the strings with his range of passing. Tranent, to their credit, focused on damage limitation and kept things respectable for a while, but the Bankies bench would soon turn the screw again.

Moffat’s substitutions injected fresh energy, and within minutes the game was out of sight. First, another flowing move saw Black link with Hodge before threading the ball for Samson to finish coolly for his second of the afternoon. Almost immediately afterwards, Gallacher delivered a pinpoint corner to the back post, where Jimmy Grant powered home a header to make it five. By then, the away support was in full voice, revelling in a display that had combined defensive steel, midfield control, and attacking flair in equal measure.

At five up, Clydebank eased off, content to see out the match without expending unnecessary energy. Tranent, shell-shocked, kept working but could only wait for the final whistle. For the Bankies, though, this was about more than three points — it was a statement.

This was the performance that proves Clydebank are capable of so much more than grinding out results. It showed the depth of the squad, the variety of attacking options, and the growing resilience that comes with an unbeaten run. Last year, we set the early pace and were able to maintain it largely unchallenged, with no real rival ever mounting consistent pressure from behind. This year feels different. Linlithgow Rose are flying, and there are several others who will fancy their chances of staying the distance. That makes consistency even more vital. Performances like today’s are the standard, not the exception, if we want to turn another promising start into something truly memorable.

If anyone doubted Clydebank’s credentials as genuine title challengers, this result should go a long way to changing their minds. The question now is whether we can sustain it when the grind of the season really bites. On this evidence, the players are more than ready for the fight.

We have another of our ex-league rivals, Berwick Rangers, visiting Holm Park next Saturday quickly followed up by Bo'ness United on the Tuesday. It is an exciting period in time to be a Clydebank supporter where each new game seems like the biggest game of the season. Lets keep the fantastic support up.

Match report written by Stuart McBay