Clydebank 2
East Stirlingshire 1
League (Division 1)

Match Report

The polished skills of substitute Davie Houston brought Clydebank back from the brink of defeat for the second week in succession on Saturday.

The little winger teased and cajoled an East Stirling defence which had seldom been troubled and helped Bankies move above Ayr United into second place in the first division.

Against Dunfermline in the Scottish Cup, the Kilbowie side left their comeback until the final couple of minutes. On Saturday, they went a goal behind to an inferior side again, but took the lead with a full 20 minutes still to go.

With Mark Treanor still in the side despite a broken nose from that Scottish Cup encounter, Bankies added Bobby Williamson from the start. A crowd of only 522 looked for something a bit special against an East Stirling side vastly weakened by injuries to seven of their squad.

But the first 20 minutes produced some rather insipid football and a complete lack of finishing ability from either side. Surprisingly, it was the Falkirk side who took the lead after 23 minutes, when little McCulley floated a neat free-kick into the Bankies box. Howitt flicked the ball towards goal and a rather ponderous Jim Gallacher could only touch the ball to the feet of full-back Blair, who tapped in from a couple of yards out.

With nine minutes of the second half gone, Sammy Henderson sent on the talented winger Davie Houston, the man who tormented and finally broke a tight Dunfermline defence when all else had failed.

With 66 minutes gone, Clydebank forced the goal they deserved. Ironically, it was an East Stirling defender who handed Bankies their golden chance to win the game.

Davie Houston sent over a searching corner to the back of the six-yard area and four or five players went for the ball. The luckless Rennie turned to see his awkward header looping into the opposite corner of the net for a rather strange own goal.

And five minutes later Tom Coyne caught the Shire defence napping to run 20 yards before poking the ball under Pearce from the edge of the penalty area. I must admit it did look a rather dicey decision with the defence claiming Coyne was a couple of yards offside.

Jim Given, who turned in another solid performance, brought out two remarkable saves from Pearce near the end. Given's first shot was blocked on the ground and the 'keeper managed to scramble to his feet to turn the rebound over the bar.

After their second goal, Bankies never looked like losing their grip of the game but they can't afford to struggle against teams of this calibre again if they are to press a serious promotion campaign.

----------------------------------
How the other side saw it
----------------------------------

Makeshift East Stirling appeared to be on their way to a shock victory over promotion chasing Clydebank on Saturday when disaster struck midway through the second half.

Leading through a Jim Blair first-half goal, the Firs Parkers were well in control when striker Ricky Sharp turned a Houston corner into his own net and the Bankies went on to
win.

But it was a tragedy for the Shire, for, despite being well under strength, they had made Clydebank look distinctly second-class for long spells in the game.

Ironically up front, open-to-transfer man Sharp played one of his best games in a black-and-white jersey, proving a real menace, particularly in the air to the home defence. Indeed, he was denied the goal he deserved for his display when only the woodwork prevented him from soring on one occasion.

Inspired by wee Bobby McCulley, who was a dominant figure in midfield. Shire pushed the ball around well

But it was the Shire who took the lead after 23 minutes. McCulley took a free-kick and found Willie Howitt, whose cross was punched out by keeper Gallacher only as far as Jim BLAIR, and the big full- back cracked the ball home.

The introduction of Houston for McKeown in the home side after the break gave the Bankies new life, and indeed it was the substitute's corner which was headed home by SHARP for an own-goal.

Bankies' winner five minutes later again owed much to the inexperience of keeper Pearce. COYNE, looking suspiciously offside, ran unmarked towards goal and, as Pearce raced off his line to the edge of the penalty-box, the Bankies' player cracked the ball home.