Clydebank 4
Alloa Athletic 1
League (Division 2)

Match Report

What a game this was. Right from the whistle Clydebank pushed in their attack and they kept it up for the rest of the game. Alloa were a fighting bunch and they did not let up easily, but the Bankies defence proved too much for them and they didn't get many shots at the home goal, despite dome brilliant moves by their forward line.

Tony Moy was man of the game with a brilliant first half hat trick. In the seventh minute he knocked the wind out of the Alloa sails when he netted a Fleming pass, leaving the Alloa keeper Adam Hodge, motionless.

The ball went back up to the centre spot and Clydebank quickly moved in again, pushing it back down field. Baxter passed the ball into Moy. Tony tried to header the ball home but keeper Hodge just got his hands to it and knocked it out for a corner.

Rutherford took the corner kick and he sent a long high one. Fleming tipped the ball over to Moy who neatly flicked it past Hodge into the back of the net with his head.

Alloa tried hard to close the scoring gap and they made good use of both their wings, squaring the ball into the centre of the field as they approached the Clydebank goal, but they could not catch the Bankies defence off guard.

In the 19th minute it looked like Baxter would score another goal for the Bankies. He picked up a Rutherford cross on the left wing and carried the ball down the wing and in towards the Alloa goal, leaving a trail of the Wasps defenders behind him, but he was moving too fast and he miskick the ball past the left post.

Five minutes later Baxter missed another chance when Fleming cross the ball into the Alloa goalmouth. It was a high ball and Baxter jumped to head it home but he jumped too soon and completely missed the ball which was cleared upfield by Cruickshanks.

All this time Alloa were trying to cut Clydebank's leeway. In the 30th minute Alloa were awarded a corner. As the ball came in high, centre-forward Smith jumped to head it into the goal bur keeper Dick Madden was on his toes and grasped the ball to his chest.

After this chance Alloa came more into the game and it looked at last like the Clydebank defence was beginning to break down but Madden was playing a great game and it would have taken a giant to get past him,

Moy got his hat-trick in the 37th minute from a close shot which left the Alloa defence stationery, But Alloa's inside-left Cleminson was on his toes and right after Moy scored his goal he saw a chance to get past the Clydebank defence and he took it, depositing the ball in the back of the net.

The second half opened with a change in the Alloa team. Inside-right Brennan was dropped and substitute Young was brought on in his place.

In the first minute of this half Eddie Rutherford who had played a brilliant game was brought down in a tackle and injured his ankle. He has to be taken off and Russell was brought on in his place.

Alloa came into the game more and their players were making great use of the left wing, the Bankies defence having to play everything they had to keep them back.

In the 67th minute outside right Watt, of Alloa, was carried off when he got a bang on the knee, but after some treatment on the side line he came back onto the field limping heavily.

The last goal of the game was the brainchild of Tony Moy in the 76th minute. Moy took the ball up the wing solo and cut in towards the Alloa goal. He passed the ball to Fleming who pushed the ball home.

This was a great game for Clydebank, it brought out the best in both the defence and attack and it was a thoroughly deserved win for the Bankies.

Match Report by Oliver McGeachy (Clydebank Press)

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I was hoping for a repeat of last season's result at Clydebank but E.S. had other notions. Following the Wasps recent good form this looked on the cards. But the Steedman boys rose to the occasion in great style and the score in no way flatters them. This was the first occasion this season that E.S. were able to field a full team and they celebrated the occasion in no uncertain manner. It was not a case of the Wasps sinking into one of their uncertain spells; they played as well as they were allowed to play. The homesters were in control throughout and it would have taken a better team than Alloa to lower their colours. Indeed, I feel that on Saturday's form they would have proved more than a match for any other team in the League.

Therefore, do not read into the result that this was the Wasps on one of their bad days. Far from it. They played some good attractive football but had no one in the forward line with the punch of Tony Moy. This young man was razor-sharp as his three goals testify. He was a constant threat to the Alloa rear lines, and they never really got to grips with him throughout the entire game.

But this was not a one-man forward line. Fleming, ex-Stirling Albion at centre and Eddie Rutherford, ex-Albion Rovers on the right wing gave him ample support. On the few occasions that I saw Fleming play for the Albion I admired his style of play. He is the clever rather than the dashing type and the Bankies have made a good capture here. The same goes for Eddie Rutherford.

But it was not only the forwards who were good. They were well backed by a powerful mid-line and the rear trio were no slouches. In other words, a good blend of youth and experience who could be a threat to the best in the Division on this form. They got off to a great start - a Moy goal in the fifth minute. An early goal is usually a great incentive and so it proved in this case.

This goal put the homesters on their mettle and they went out for more.

There was not much the Wasps could do about it however hard they tried. And believe me they did try. They were combining well with some good forward play especially from Tom Hutchison and Peter Smith. But E.S. were not to be denied. They had their tails up and their sights set on further goals. And you could see them coming. Therefor it was no surprise when Moy scored again four minutes later and went on to complete his "hat trick" in the thirty-seventh minute. Great stuff if you came from the precincts of Kilbowie Road, although the Wasps understandably had different thoughts.

Give the Wasps credit for fighting back and scoring a goal through Jim Cleminson one minute later. I was wondering if this was to be the Wasps fight back and they showed improved form up to the interval, and on the resumption, they substituted Bobby Young for Jim Brennan in an effort to turn the tide. And for a spell they looked as if they might do it. But I was wondering if this was due to their exertions or was it a case of the homesters easing up. After all they had a two-goal lead and could be excused for thinking that the game was in the bag.

But all credit to the Wasps for striving to put a better complexion on things. They were now testing the homesters as they had not previously done and with a bit of luck could have added to their total. But as so often happens in football the goal came at the other end, FLEMING converted a Moy cross. This was in the seventy-sixth minute and with this goal all chances of a Wasp revival evaporated.

This was always a good, entertaining game with an abundance of football artistry ever on top. E.S. have improved greatly from last season and the locals are rallying round the ventures of the Steedman Brothers. They realise that football is now big business and in addition to a clubhouse for their members they have engineered a plan which will give many young boys of the 15-17 age group the opportunity to develop the professional side of football. The numbers forthcoming for this scheme have exceeded all expectations and it looks like another winner for the two "S’s”.

Their vision of the future is First Division football in Clydebank, and I will be greatly surprised if this dream fails to reach fruition. It is a pity that there were not more men with this vision and endeavour of those in charge at Clydebank. But back to the subject on hand. Although the Wasps were outpointed, they were never outplayed. They will play worse many a time and yet come out victorious. There is yet a weakness at inside forward which calls for strengthening. Otherwise, there was not much to fault in the line.

Tom Hutchison and Peter Smith were good without reaching the form of past weeks and Hamish Watt did well enough on the other wing.

But Alloa's strength lay in their defence, even though they did forfeit four goals. Adam Hodge had no chance with the balls which rocketed past him and Alex Hodge and Ian Cruikshanks worked like trojans to stem the tide. Unfortunately, the Clyde was in full spate in the form of eleven men in the colours of E.S. Clydebank,

Perhaps the mid-line power of Jim Burns, George Brown and Jim Baillie was not so pronounced as against Queen of the South. This is easily explained. The opposition were much stronger and more resourceful than that provided by the Southerners. Believe me if they keep up this form at home they will be a hard nut to crack for the best of them. McAleer has been drawing the scouts with his display, and I am not surprised after seeing him perform on Saturday.

Match report written by Rod Hilton (Alloa Advertiser)