Clydebank 1
Ayr Utd 0
League (Division 1)

Match Report

In an article in Scotland's best selling newspaper on Monday, Willie McLean, the manager of Ayr United, was quoted as saying his side was 'unlucky' to lose against Clydebank at Kilbowie on Saturday.

What utter bunkum!

Consider these facts: Clydebank created no fewer than seven scoring chances (one of which was snapped up by winger Gerry Ronald) and they controlled the midfield.

Ayr could only muster on real attempt at goal. Unlucky, eh?

Indeed had Bankies finishing been that wee bit sharper, they could have won by three or four goals.

As it was, one was sufficient to prevent United from stretching their unbeaten league run to an impressive seventeen matches.

It was sheer non-stop pressure in the early stages of the game that more or less persuaded Ayr to give away Clydebank's goal.

With 12 minutes on the clock, defenders Billy McColl and Ian McAllister were caught flat footed and in stepped Gerry Ronald.

Ronald took the ball unchallenged into the box before whipping it past Rennie, who had already resigned himself to the worst.

Four minutes before this Bankies had given a taste of things to come as Millar sent a back header skimming over the bar with Rennie groping air.

And after the goal, Clydebank continued to dominate proceedings.

Ayr weren't helped when main striker Eric Morris was taken off injured. He was replaced by Jimmy Lindsay, who proved to be one of his side's more resolute performers.

For the remainder of the first half Clydebank was the livelier side, thanks mainly to the foraging of Ronald, Millar and McCormick.

Bust despite this, they couldn't add to the goal.

The same pattern was evident on the second half, although Ayr showed more commitment up front... but they never looked like scoring.

Millar had a further two clear cup opportunities to score, but both were wasted.

Ayr's chance came when Gerry Christie fired in a shot from 25 yards, but Jim Gallacher made mincemeat out of it.

Gallacher on Saturday, especially with cross balls, proved how basically brilliant a goalkeeper he is.