Clydebank 2
Dumbarton 1
League (Division 2)

Match Report

It was definitely a Happy New Year for Bankies fans on Monday as they saw their team beat the "auld enemy" in a game bristling with excitement and power packed play.

Right for the word go both side went into action. Bankies kicked off and were immediately having a go at the Dumbarton goal. A Tommy McGhee shot came too close for comfort in 9 minutes and keeper Meikleham was stretched to put it for a corner.

The homesters maintained this pressure for some time and Lynas for Dumbarton had his name taken for a rough tackle on Bankies centre Jim Fleming in the 12th minute.

Dumbarton's Ian Henderson nearly opened the scoring in 20 minutes but keeper Madden blocked his shot. This was followed up ten minutes later when Alan Watson was left open on the wing but Australian right back Malcolm Henderson got Bankies out of it by deposing the wee winger.

Tragedy struck the Sons, who were just getting into the swing, in 30 minutes when Donald May, their left back was carried off with a broken arm after colliding with Bankies left winger, John Baxter.

Manager Ian Spence ran onto the park with Clydebank's physiotherapist Morris Friel, and it was some time before they could get a stretcher for the injured full back. He was later taken to hospital, Substitute Wilkinson came on in May's place.

This put more determination into the heart of the Sons men and they came close five minutes later when Madden pushed a rocket shot from McCormack over the bar.

In the 48th minute Jim Fleming ran onto a Moy pass and could have score easily but he shot the ball straight at the keeper.

Tony Moy showed him how to do it one minute later when he crashed the ball home from 25 yards on the left after running onto a Baxter pass.

Dumbarton were anything but out of it! Straight from the whistle the forward line made an all out assault on the Bankies defence and McGoldrick slipped the ball to inside-man Moffat who scored to put the clubs back on level terms again.

Shortly after this Bankies John Baxter was booked for a foul on Henderson.

Now it was all action with the crowd of some 4000 roaring encouragement to their respective teams.

One of the flukiest goals I have ever seen gave the Bankies the points 20 minutes after the interval.

Tony Moy sent in a low and very slow twisting shot towards goal. He even turned his back for he thought keeper Meikleham would make mince meat out of it but it twisted out of the unfortunate keepers hands and went into the net.

The crowd and Tony Moy went wild with delight and the Sons supporters hid their faces in their hands!

Dumbarton did not give up after this; they kept on battering away at the Bankies defence but Eddie Moore, Ernie Collumbine, and Co were in first class form and frankly I think they won the game for Bankies.

Sons centre forward John McGoldrick who has scored so many goals for his side must feel like kicking himself. There he was with no one but the keeper to beat in the 79th minute, but no, he completely miskicked and the ball was cleared to safety.

He followed this up with a better effort one minute later, but his shot went over the bar. Dumbarton continued this hard pressure almost to the whistle and in one attack all Dumbarton players except a few backs, were in Bankies territory round the goalmouth and centre half Eddie Moore got a knock on the head in a desperate measure to clear one shot.

Considering the condition of Kilbowie - Snow, ice and puddles - both teams put up a fine show although play was a bit rough at times but some of the hard tackling could have been attributed to the slippy conditions.

Some Dumbarton fans were saying as they left that a draw would have been a fairer result and whilst admitting that this was not one of Bankies best performances I think they deserved to win.

Pat Henderson who was playing on the right wing for Bankies is just newly signed and is a former Arbroath player just returning to form after injury.