Clydebank 2
Brechin City 2
League (Division 2)

Match Report

Clydebank squandered a golden opportunity to climb to sixth in the league table after letting a two-goal lead slip against Brechin City at Kilbowie Park.

Brechin started brightly, nearly snatching the lead inside the first minute when Tocher's fierce free-kick rattled off the post. The visitors continued to press, but Clydebank gradually asserted themselves. Moore created a chance for King, but his low shot was comfortably collected by Ritchie in the Brechin goal.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 16th minute. King's powerful shot found the bottom corner, squeezing past Ritchie's despairing hand despite getting a touch. Buoyed by the goal, Clydebank piled on the pressure. Rutherford unleashed a thunderous drive that cannoned off the crossbar, leaving Ritchie grasping at thin air.

Caskie forced another save from Ritchie, and Smith heroically cleared off the line from the resulting corner to deny Clydebank a clear goal-scoring opportunity. Brechin responded with a flurry of their own, with Cooper heading narrowly over and Dunn forcing Madden into a diving save from a free-kick. Just before half-time, Moy's header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by Ritchie, keeping Brechin within touching distance.

The second half began with another scare for Brechin. A miscommunication between Ritchie and his defence allowed Caskie a free shot on goal, but Smith, despite getting injured in the process, managed to clear off the line. Hay squandered a good chance for Clydebank, firing over from a promising position. Brechin remained under siege, with Smith twice blocking goal-bound efforts and Rutherford sending a shot sailing over the bar after outpacing the Brechin defence.

A rare Brechin attack saw Garland's effort skim the bar, offering a brief glimpse of hope for the visitors. However, Clydebank doubled their lead just two minutes later with a stunning 30-yard free-kick from King. The home side looked to be coasting towards victory, but Brechin refused to surrender.

Garland pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute, expertly side-stepping Mitchell before unleashing a fine strike. This sparked a Brechin revival, and their relentless pressure exposed Clydebank's defensive frailties. Dunn capitalised on this in the 87th minute, rifling home a deserved equaliser to leave the Bankies heartbroken and their chance of climbing the table in tatters.

Match report written by Adapted by Stuart McBay