Forfar Ath 1
Clydebank 2
League Cup (Group 9)

Match Report

A very strong wind was the main factor in this game played on Saturday at Forfar. Both teams suffered from it but Bankies just had the edge and were two goals up by half time. Forfar grabbed one late in the second half but Bankies strong defence held out for the remainder of the game

This win gave Bankies the overall lead in their section with full points from four games. As there were nine sections in the League Cup, Bankies who were winners of section 9 have to play off with Ayr United who won section 5, for a place in the quarter finals against the mighty Celtic.

Match Report by Mark Cook (Clydebank Press)

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For the Loons this was just another public trial as they were definitely out of the running for the League Cup place and Clydebank were safely home bar the shouting.

And Manager Young treated the game pretty much as a trial, fielding an unusual lineup and making changes during the game. Carrie, for example, started at right-back and later went to centre.

Manager Young was at left-back against the wind and at centre-half with it. Malcolm was at outside-left and looked good. Wilson was at centre-half and then at back.

The wind was strong enough to dominate the run of play and Forfar had to face it in the first half. The first goal to Clydebank was a wind-blown gift.

Russell dropped a high ball into the goal area. Moore went up to head and Ritchie poised himself for the deflection. But the centre missed completely, the ball bounced at Ritchie's feet and past him into the net.

This was in the 9th minute and in the 25th Clydebank got another. Jenkins slid the ball through the defence and Ritchie started out to challenge Moore. The centre elected to shoot from outside the penalty area and the ball flashed past Ritchie into the net.

It was Forfar's turn in the second half and in the first minutes a Walker rocket was inches high and Young struck the wood. Potter went through in great style, beating man after man, but was blocked out of a shot.

This was lethal pressure and the goal came. Wyles sent over a bouncer and Knox cut through the rocky defence to head home.

So early a goal seemed to bode ill for Clydebank and for a period they needed a good share of luck to supplement a well-organised defence. and keep Forfar out. But there was, as there has been since the opening game, a lack of guile and originality in the building up of Forfar attacks. and as the game went on the 'Bankies steadied and got off the perpetual defensive to finish as fair winners.

This is going to be a busy season for the Referees' disciplinary committee, The black book was out three times and Walker, Jenkins and Young went into it why we don't know but there was certainly no obvious reason. Cautions are being dealt out by referees much as poor disciplinarians among teachers used to ladle out the strap.

If there was any call for booking, there were players who gave more obvious justification than any of these three.

Forfar have won only one of the five games played to date. That isn't an impressive start, yet they are a team which on present play should be able to break even. A little something is lacking but it isn't much maybe it's that their moves are too obvious all the time.

Match Report taken from the Forfar Despatch