Berwick Rangers 1
Clydebank 1
League (Division 2)

Match Report

Eddie Rutherford finally made his debut for the Bankies, and proved what a fine player he is. Eddie had been on the injured list for two months and and is now fully recovered.

The game was a hard tussle which produced some good football and finished with honours even. The goals within 60 seconds of each other, were the highlights.

Just on the hour, Dowds and Brown cleverly cut through and Christie was on the spot to make a precision job of finishing.

From the restart, Harry Rutherford raced through brilliantly on the right, leaving the home defence flat-footed, and squared perfectly for Fleming to equalise. Berwick put in a power finish, but the Bankies survived.

During a first half spell of ascendancy, Clydebank must have given up all hope. Jock Wallace was in brilliant form, and several of his saves had the attackers amazed.

New Berwick signing Mike Harris, from Hereford, had an impressive debut. He fluffed two chances, but he was always looking for the ball and used it well. On several occasions he went very close.

Rangers outstanding player was Russell Craig - great in defence and a danger man in attack. Harry and Eddie Rutherford were sparkling wingers for the Bankies.

The Bankies injury crisis is starting to ease up. John Baxter is still training at Partick Thistle and Eddie Moore looks like recovering from his shoulder injury. Only John Boyd is a doubt due to a groin injury.

Match report by Stuart McBay

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Berwick Rangers were desperately unlucky not to end their run of misfortune. on Saturday. In the most entertaining game at Shielfield for weeks, they battered away at the Clydebank defence and just failed to snatch the winning goal.

Once again, Berwick can point to those that got away. Three or four simple chances were squandered, and this would have tipped the balance their way. But at least they played football with some urgency, greatly improve entertainment value and increasing confidence.

They had manager Jock Wallace to thank for being in with a chance at all after a Clydebank purple patch in which any one of four shots might have hit the back of the net but for the 'keeper's brilliance.

After that it was Berwick who did the buik of the running and the shooting and the chances were undoubtedly created on this occasion

I, for one, would like to see this team given an extended run. There was undoubted potential, plenty of height and weight and at long last we had defensive ideas tossed aside and the Rangers displaying initiative in attack This is the sort of thing to bring the missing fans back to Shielfield,

In giving Russell Craig his head, in encouraging Gordon Haig to come through as the overlap - a ruse exploited so well last season - and keeping his forwards well upfield, manager Wallace has obviously taken a calculated gamble. He must I realise that in playing a more aggressive game he is liable to find himself in action quite frequently, but he also knows that if this attacking policy is kept up, sooner or later the goals must come,

Mike Harris, signed only the previous day from Hereford could have made this a dream debut but he missed two of the best chances, swinging his foot over a low pass from Rodgers and then, in the second half, cracking one straight at Madden. But Harris looks a good buy, He is big, strong, willing to work and, most encouraging he can come through a challenge with the ball at his feet, Given time to settle in with his new colleagues he could develop into a forward of real menace to the opposing sides.

George Christie, who has only recently won his place back, hit his first goal of the season and this will do him a lot of good. He led the line well and it was good to see, at last, a Rangers centre taking on his man and occasionally beating him. It is as well to remember that the man facing Christie is likely to go. soon. to a senior club for a five-figure fee

Ken Dowds had his best game for weeks, racing here and there looking and fighting for the ball and

Fleming left Rutherford, on the right, with a simple chance but the winger took deliberate aim and Wallace, with an incredible change of direction stopped the shot This was the spur the Rangers 'keeper needed, He brilliantly stopped a Fleming shot, then tipped over two more dangerous attempts by Harry Rutherford.

Rangers seemed to be up against it, but they weathered the storm and Smith let Rodgers away. The winger slung over a low ball and Harris, on the turn, just failed to connect Soon after Madden flung himself full length to deflect a Rodgers shot and then held a Christie header.

But Berwick had to watch the speedy 'Bankies and Wallace had another couple of excellent saves before the interval which came with a tremendous Berwick bombardment just failing. Twice, inside the last minute. Dowds had powerful shots deflected by full back Mitchell.

The second half opened quietly but soon warmed up. and Harris tested Madden. The Rangers new boy then burst through in style only to hammer the ball at the 'Bankies goalkeeper. But Berwick had their tails up and took the lead in 60 minutes, Brown, with a shrewd pass to Dowds began the move and Dowds raced on to cross low for an unmarked Christie to hammer home. It lasted only a minute, Rutherford tore down the right wing, leaving Riddle and Smith trailing behind and his perfect cross was steered home by Fleming,

After that, Clydebank slung everything out to the right, but it was Berwick who looked far more likely to win, Madden did well to stop a Christie shot. Dowds missed chance, Dowds then scored but from an offside position and in a hectic finish Keith shot wide, and Craig had a great effort stopped by Madden. Berwick Rangers: Wallace: Haig. Riddle; Craig, Coutts, Smith; Dowds. Harris. Christie, Brown, Rodgers, Sub., Keith.

Match report taken from the Berwick Advertiser.