Dumbarton 1
Clydebank 3
League (Division 1)

Match Report

If Clydebank win nothing else this season, they'll certainly win a lot of friends.

For, judging by their last two performances, the Kilbowie men look set to take the First Division by storm with their special brand of cavalier soccer.

Last Tuesday Kilmarnock were on the receiving end of a lesson in the finer points of the game, and on Saturday, it was Dumbarton's turn for 45 minutes anyway.

The Sons reeled as, for the whole of the second half, Bankies battered them down and finally won out in a performance capped by three opportunist goals.

Yet in the first half it had been so different, with Clydebank looking anything but the side which had played so fluently in midweek.

It was no surprise when, after threatening to score on several occasions, Dumbarton took the lead after 23 minutes.

As the Bankies defence appealed for offside, Coyle, raced into the box, crossed hard and low and Montgomerie had the easiest of tasks to beat Gallacher.

This set-back, however, seemed to inspire the visitors, and soon afterwards Carson brought out a first-class save from a Given drive.

Clydebank continued to press and Blair Millar should have scored after 35 minutes. Little Tom McGorm set up the chance, wriggling to the by-line and crossing to the edge of the box, but Millar's header was weak, allowing Carson to save low to his left.

That was about the sum total of Clydebank's attacking ideas in a first half where it was patently obvious that Dumbarton, minus the defensive skills of Alister McLeod, snapped up the previous day by Kilmarnock, were there to be beaten.

What a difference in the second period, though. Barely had the half begun when Bankies were level. Tom McGorm - what a tremendous match he had beat three men on the edge of the Dumbarton box, but seemed to have overdone it when the ball was nipped off his toe. However, it only went as far as Gerry McCabe, whose 25-yard grounder gave the valiant Tom Carson chance.

Suddenly, it was all Bankies. Young Joe McBride missed an easy chance in front of goal, Millar did likewise, so did McGorm the attacks rained down on the bemused Sons' rearguard, only for Carson to come to the rescue time after time

The big keeper was superb. Sometimes his saves might not have been exactly text-book stuff, but still he kept the score-sheet level.

But Bankies had to break through sometimes, and they finally did after 74 minutes with a super goal. McGorm and McCabe worked a simple one-two on the edge of the box to beat the advancing defence, and Tom was left with all the time in the world to put Clydebank ahead.

The tails were up now, and five minutes later a moment of madness from young full-back Robert Campbell handed Bankies the match on a plate. Taking a short ball from Carson, he wandered forward, looking for someone to give a pass to. Suddenly Blair Millar was upon him, intercepting his hurried clearance and racing in to make it 3-1.

So, Clydebank record their first league win of the season, and in some considerable style, too. But let's not get carried away with their performance. For they struggled throughout the first half against an inept Dumbarton side who, quite frankly, will do well to survive in the First Division this season. But it cannot be denied that this Bankies side is capable of some glorious football. Everyone in the side is trying some very skilful moves (some with more success than others, it is fair to say) and it is a joy to watch.