Clydebank 5
Queen of South 1
League (Division 1)

Match Report

A Blair Miller hat-trick, added to goals from Tommy Coyne and Gerry Ronald, sent Bankies into the final weeks of the season as the in-form team at the top of Division One.

As their promotion. rivals stuttered over the past few weeks, Bankies picked up maximum points from games against Queen's Park, Dumbarton and Queen of the South, three sides who although struggling at the foot of the table, normally present the kind of hurdle at which the Kilbowie men have fallen so often.

On Saturday, Millar's opportunism helped steamroller a spineless Dumfries side who gave up early in the game.

But Queens' weaknesses shouldn't be allowed to detract from what was a sparkling, entertaining performance from Clydebank, who at last looked sharp and clinical in front of goal.

Tom Coyne joined Millar in the destruction of a Queens defence which, despite having several physical players, rarely looked committed to its job. Coyne, in fact, was the man of the match, hitting the woodwork twice apart from his fine 19th minute goal and playing his best game since coming into the first team.

Millar opened the scoring after 14 minutes. Gerry McCabe hit a gem of a pass which the big striker chested down before shooting at keeper Alan Boles. The debutant palmed the shot away, but Millar followed up to score from close range.

Five minutes later Coyne intercepted a McCabe drive to beat the defence and slide the ball past Boles.

The half was summed up right the interval with Gerry Ronald's goal. Crawford Boyd, not one of football's gentlest players, lost the ball to the Bankies winger and promptly decided to give up.

Ronald ran on, strolled round the keeper and toyed with the ball before lazily tapping in number three.

In the 57th minute, Millar almost decapitated earlier when Jim Given's volley hit him on the head, got in the way of another shot from the same man to run home number four.

Then, after Philips had scored a consolation goal for Queens, the big man completed his hat-trick, shooting home from 18 yards after holding off a defender.

It was hard throughout all this action no to feel sorry for young Alan Boles. Signed less than a year ago from a South of Scotland amateur side, he was brought in to replace veteran keeper Alan Ball.

The youngster could hardly have picked a worse day to begin his first-team career. In the kind of match which can make or break a goalkeeper, he pulled off some good saves, but never really stood a chance with any of the goals.

His wry smile to the Press Box after the fourth goal told the whole story of a frustrating day playing behind a dreadful defence. Some of his more experienced colleagues could take a lesson from his determination in sticking with it until the end.

For Bankies, on the other hand, it was a good day's work. They took their chances, they defended well, playing the ball around with confidence, but most importantly they were ruthless.

Except for a period in the second half when the game began to drag, they never let up, going for, and usually winning, every ball.

McCabe, Coyne and goal hero Millar were all outstanding, but really this win was a team effort of skill, stamina and commitment. It was a performance of promotion class.

What a pity only 501 people bothered to come along and see it.