Clydebank 2
Hamilton Accies 1
League (Division 1)

Match Report

For those of us still the suffering lingering after-effects of over-zealous New Year celebrations, this kind of excitement is just a little much.

I suppose it could have been worse. Bankies might have made their fans endure a nail-biting ending on Saturday, when heads were even more fragile, but, still, leaving it so late on Monday wasn't too good for the heart.

For those of you who were not at Kilbowie for the visit of Hamilton, let me fill you in on the goings-on which caused so much drama

For much of the match, Accies had contained, frustrating and finally stunned Clydebank with a largely negative performance, designed to glean a single point.

Eventually they went ahead, much to the annoyance of the 665 fans who thought they were watching their favourites slide to another depressing home result

But, just as the writers were preparing to slam them and the fans to desert them, Clydebank surprised us all with a tremendous surge to free themselves from the shackles imposed by the Lanarkshire side and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

And the man who made the biggest difference to the team was, once again, the irrepressible Gerry McCabe. His ability to twist and turn to make room in tight spaces was stifled by Hamilton setting Jim Frew on him from the start

But by the last 20 minutes, Frew and his crew were tiring and McCabe began to exert his considerable influence on the team.

Yet after 55 minutes, they and their support, were at their lowest possible ebb. Mark Treanor, in trying to clear a dangerous Jamie Fairlie cut-back, succeeded only in hammering a header past Jim Gallacher, and it looked as though Bankies were on their way to dropping yet more points at Kilbowie.

But when McCabe gradually started the side motoring. Hamilton's disciplined approach began to waver.

First, the over-enthusiastic Alex Hamill fouled McCabe just outside the box. The midfielder got up and took the kick himself, and his flighted cross found Budgie McGhie, who outjumped the defence to nod past the static Ferguson.

For virtually the first time in the game, the home fans had something to shout about. The winner came just a minute from time as referee Galloway checked his watch.

It seemed as though the excitement created by McGhie's equaliser would ebb as Hamilton clung on for a draw. but suddenly McCabe collected the ball and was teasing Hamill and Mitchell on the edge of the box.

A burst of acceleration and he was free and crossing for Williamson. The ball seemed to hang in the air for an eternity before he swayed his hips, put Ferguson and Alan McDougall the wrong way and nodded down low to his right for a remarkably composed piece of finishing.

Within seconds, Mr. Galloway had blown for time and Bankies were celebrating their second win of the New Year.