Glenafton Athletic

Glenafton made two changes to the starting eleven that faced Troon on Tuesday evening with Luke McBeth (suspended) and Dylan O’Kane making way for Zak Ross. making his first start for the club, and Alex McWaters.

In the Clydebank starting eleven was former Glenafton player Lee Gallacher, captain for the day, while in the dug-out was manager Gordon Moffat, another former Glens player.

The Glens kicked off and the game quickly fell into the pattern of play going back and forth at a pace without seriously testing the keepers. It was the visitors that were first threaten through Michael Moffat breaking into the ‘D’ and from within a pocket of 3 defenders he slipped a forward diagonal pass into the left-hand side of the box for the incoming Alex McWaters only for keeper Kieran Hughes to rush from his line and block the shot at the corner of the six-yard box at the expense of a corner-kick.

Scott McLean curled the kick into the six-yard box where Matt Niven’s attempt to clear the danger failed to clear the box and Gary Fraser got the jump on his marker Joe Slattery on the 18-yard line to nick the ball and a couple of steps later he slammed it home from 12 yards. Glens 1-0 up after 6 minutes.

Played continued to flow from end to end before the Bankies gained the upper hand for a spell. Lee Gallacher set up Slattery for a shot from the edge of the box that was blocked by Paul Paton and deflected out for a corner. Gallacher delivered the kick to the back post where Niven from the six-yard line leapt to send a high looping header to other post where Slattery looked certain to head home from a few yards only for either Moffat or Ryan Sinnamon or both on the goal line to head it out for another corner.

Gallacher curled this corner into the heart of the goalmouth where Paton won the aerial battle with Tom Collins sending the ball rolling to the edge of the box to be snapped up by Frazer Johnstone sliding tackle who then jinked his was past 3 defenders before the ball fell for Collins to lash the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards. Bankies back level on 13 minutes.

Normal service resumed as both sides sought to add to their tally. Gallacher tried a cheeky lob from the ‘D’ that keeper David Markey clutched. At the other end Sam McKee broke through the middle before drilling a low shot from 30 yards that keeper Hughes fumbled before mopping up the loose ball.

Midway through the half a Clydebank corner was whipped high to the back post where team-mates Niven and Ciaran Mulchay leapt in unison but under pressure from Craig Pettigrew the ball flew inches wide of target.

Back came the visitors through McKee and McMullin combining down the left before the latter fired the ball to the back post for the inrushing McWaters only for his header to drift wide, under pressure from Oisin McHugh.

Soon after McWaters gathered the ball in the centre circle and in a flash played a slick one-two with Moffat before showing McHugh a clean pair of heels to break into the box and draw the keeper from his line only for Hughes to tip his angled shot round the post. The corner kick was headed clear and the ball quickly recovered by the Glens who continued to press. McKee burst through the middle and then fed McMullin on the left to launch another trademark ball into the box for Moffat only for Niven to intercept and cleart for a shy from which Sinnamon and McMullin combined to win a corner, which was also cleared.

Back came Glens and McWaters and Moffat were hogging possession on the outskirts of the box with slick passing and movement. Finally, they managed to breach the box and the ball fell for Fraser only for his shot to be blocked and headed back out the box by Niven which was retrieved by McLean but his shot flew high over the bar.

On the half hour mark Bankies began to enjoy a good spell of pressure with Collins and Slattery in particular looking lively albeit without testing the keeper including a free kick from the edge of the box that was drilled into the Glens wall.

At the other end McKee made another powerful run driving to the left-hand corner of the box before feeding McMullin on the left wing to fire the ball to the back post for Moffat, only for McHugh to intervene and head clear.  Soon after Sinnamon’s free kick from 30 yards cleared the wall before sailing high over the bar.

On the closing minute of the half Pettigrew robbed Slattery of the ball just inside the Glens half and it fell for Moffat to knock it on for McKee to gather and break deep into the box with McHugh on his heels, then clipped a low angled shot that slipped just wide of the hands of the diving keeper and unfortunately beyond the far post.

Bankies launched the ball upfield where Paton met it on the drop sending it high into the air before descending into the centre circle where it was Fraser that met it on the drop and lobbed it forward with McKee tracking its course from an attacking perspective and Niven from a defensive perspective. As the ball bounced McKee raised a high boot in an attempt to control it while simultaneously Niven dipped his head in an attempt to clear it – the pair collided and ball flew up into the air as Niven collapsed to the ground in some discomfort. The referee promptly flashed the red card to McKee and both sides debated the decision while Niven received treatment

Glens mustered one more attack before the break after Moffat released the ball down the left for McWaters to chase with the recovered Niven now in hot pursuit to the corner flag from where McWalters cross into the box was cleared and an entertaining and eventful half drew to a close.

HT Clydebank 1 Glenafton 1  

Clydebank kicked-off and were immediately on the front foot through Slattery weaving his way into the left-hand side of the box before chipping the ball high into the six-yard box but just beyond the head of the leaping Collins allowing the ball to continue and drift inches wide of the back post.  Soon after Mulcahy progressed to the right had corner of the six-yard box and although Zac Ross did well to block his shot the ball fell for Slattery only for his shot to be deflected wide by McLean for a corner that Gallacher floated to the near post which was headed clear by Pettigrew.

On 49 minutes Bankies recovered the ball and patiently switched the ball from the left to the right where Hodge and Gallacher combined to win another corner kick that was executed straight from their play-book with excellent timing and precision. Gallacher played it short to Lowe on the corner of the six-yard box who then rolled a diagonal ball back to Gallacher now at the edge of the box, 12 yards from the bye-line, and from here he squared the ball at pace to the unmarked Joe Slattery to meet it first time and sweep a low hard shot the whizzed through a busy 6 yard box and into the net.   

The home side continued to press making full advantage of the extra man stroking the ball about with ease.

On 55 minutes Glenafton made a change with Alex McWaters making way for Alan Frizzell and before the dust had settled the Bankies doubled their advantage. Another patient build concluded with Johnstone switching the ball to James Grant on the outskirts of the box on the left-hand side from where he quickly slotted a diagonal pass to Collins as he broke into the box but with no prospect of a shot he touched a cleverly weighted ball wide for Ciaran Mulcahy to gather and turn before drilling a low angled shot under Markey from 10 yards out. Bankies 3-1 up on 56 minutes.

Glens mustered a break down the left from where McMullin whipped a great ball to the near post for the inrushing Frizzell only for McHugh to intercept at the expense of a corner which was headed clear by Johnstone. Back came the visitors and Paton won the ball on the half-way line and clipped it high into Bankies box but this too was cleared and Clydebank countered in deadly fashion.

Slattery pounced on the loose ball and slipped it to Gallacher on the half-way-line who played a one-two with Lowe before taking a touch or two and firing the ball upfield for Tom Collins to chase down into the left-hand side of the box and after controlling it with his head he volleyed an unstoppable shot from 8 yards out. Three goals in a 9 minute spell put the Bankies 4-1 up against the 10 men on 59 minutes!

On 63 minutes Glens brought on defender Ollie Rowe for striker Michael Moffat while soon after Bankies replaced Adam Hodge with Larry McMahon.

The visitors had a short spell of possession in the Bankies half without ever breaking into the box or testing the keeper.

With 15 minutes to go the Bankies made their final changes with Lee Gallacher and Nick Lowe making way for Alan Kelly and Liam McGonigle.

Glens made good progress down the left for McLean to float the ball into six yard box for Frizzell and Rowe and although the latter outjumped the two defenders keeper Kieran Hughes leapt to clutch the ball cleanly.

The Bankies finished with a flurry of shots –  Johnstone blasted well over the bar from 18 yards, Kelly’s curling effort from 20 yards was well held by Markey and then the keeper got down low at the post to hold Little’s angled strike.

Clydebank 4 Glens 1

Bankies kicked off and enjoyed a lively start. Alan Kelly stripped Paul Paton of the ball and drilled a low shot from 22 yards that drifted wide of the post. Adam Hodge then intercepted a Glens clearance and lobbed the ball high to the edge of the left hand-side of the box where Kelly gathered and cracked a vicious shot that keeper Aiden Glavin, at full stretch, pushed round the post. The corner kick was floated to the back post where Mick McMullin beat Jaime Darroch in the aerial battle for ball at the expense of another corner which Glavin clutched cleanly under the bar.

Forward came Glens as Alex McWaters broke upfield and although his cross into the box was intercepted the ball was quickly recovered by Dylan O’Kane who curled a shot from 22 yards only for keeper Jamie Donelly to push it wide of the top corne; the corner that followed was cleared.

Play raged back and forth but with 11 minutes gone Bankies were forced to make an early substitution after Creag Little struggled to recover from an earlier knock and was replaced by Danny MacKenzie.

On 13 minutes the home side took the lead after Hodge gathered the ball wide on the right on the half-way line before pushing forward and switching play with a peach of a long diagonal pass to Alan Kelly tight on the left wing. He then cut inside and curled a cross from the corner of the box towards the near post seemingly for the inrushing Ben McLernan but it appears he never got a touch and the ball continued undeterred past the keeper on the line before bulging the side-netting at the far post.

The Bankies continued to press while Glens gallantly cleared their lines before Lee Gallacher picked out Nicky Little in the box only to drag his shot wide of target.

Some respite for the Glens as Scott McLean burst upfield to edge of the box from where he rolled the ball back to McWaters to fire a shot from 22 yards that was well held by Donnelly.

Back came Clydebank and after another spell of pressure doubled their lead on 23 minutes. Joe Slattery from within a pocket of defenders lobbed a high ball over their heads into the left-hand side of the box for MacKenzie to collect and drive along the 18-yard line before squaring to Kelly to skelp a low shot from just inside the ‘D’ and although Glavin got down to block it the loose ball rolled along the face of goal and the alert Nicky Little was quick to react and lash the ball into the net. The young keeper sustained an injury in trying to savek the rebound and had to be replaced with Craig Burns.

The Glens fought their way back into the game. After a determined run down the right by Ryan Nisbet he whipped the ball into the six-yard for Michael Moffat only for Jamie Darroch to intercept and head out for a corner. It was Darroch that headed the corner-kick clear out the box only for O’Kane to recover the ball and hold of Kelly to break down the left and clip a great ball high into the six-yard box for the inrushing Hugh Kerr and McMullin. However, the former was being held back by Hodge and it was the latter that leapt high to challenge for the ball with the outrushing keeper, both colliding and collapsing to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot only for the assistant referee to raise his flag, apparently suggesting the keeper had been fouled. However after a lengthy discussion the referee’s decision stood. and Scott McLean kept his cool to slot home the spot-kick an halve the deficit on 32 minutes.

(*Although, McMullin had clearly taken an accidental blow to the side of the head, my initial thoughts were that the referee must have spotted Hodge holding back Kerr with both hands – but he wasn’t booked, so the ref hadn’t spotted it.)

Soon after, O’Kane won the ball on the outskirts of the centre-circle in the Bankies half and escaped the clutches of Nicky Low and then those of Darroch to push forward with Hodge now hot on his heels with arms outstretched but again the young striker shook him off until a few yards from the box where the Bankies full back made his choice to bring him down. McLean clipped the free-kick over the wall and as the ball began to dip Donnelly leapt with an outstretched arm to tip over the bar.

McLean played the corner kick low into a packed six-yard box initiating a scramble and although Kerr was being held again, he managed to roll the ball back to McLean to clip it back into the goalmouth where Donnelly punched it clear of the box only for McWaters to hook it back by which time the keeper was in place to comfortably catch the ball.

Glens continued to enjoy a good spell of possession before the home side began to turn the screw again. With numbers in the Glens box MacKenzie won the ball and fed Little to side-foot a shot from 18 yards only for Burns to save and hold tightly. 

On 42 minutes Clydebank restored their two-goal cushion. Slattery, with his route to the box blocked, rolled the ball back to Hodge tight on the right wing who took a touch or two before lobbing a perfectly weighted ball over a couple of Glens defenders and down the wing into a space for Lee Gallacher to chase it down before cutting into the box and effortlessly jink past two defenders and as a third closed in he angled a low shot from 8 yards out just beyond the fingertips of Burns at full stretch. 

HT Clydebank 3 Glens 1

Glenafton made a change at the break with Ryan Nisbet making way for Sam McKee.

Glens kicked off the second half and McLean tried his luck from 30 yards with a low drive but the keeper was not to be caught cold and held it well.  The visitors then won a corner which was cleared and Clydebank’s counter-attack concluded with Little’s shot from inside the box stopped by Burns. Soon after the keeper made another fine save this time from Kelly’s effort from the edge of the box.

Back came Little to cut into the right-hand side of the Glens box to fire another low shot from a tight angle which Burns got down low to push away and Adam Caldwell mopped up the loose ball. It was then played upfield to O’Kane but although his attempt to head the ball on to Kerr was intercepted by Darroch the centre-half’s header fell back into the path of the lively O’Kane. From here he dashed forward leaving Low in his wake and then skipped past Hodge with ease and on reaching the ‘D’ he cracked a shot through space between Darroch and Oisin McHugh only for Donnelly, on his six yard line,  to push the ball away sending it high into the air and as it dropped the incoming Scott McLean drilled it into ground to send it bouncing over the diving keeper and it into the net. Glens back in the game, a goal behind, on 53 minutes.

Two minutes later Paton nicked the ball from Kelly and slipped it to McKee on the right who whipped a high ball into the far side of the box where Moffat had sneaked behind Hodge and Darroch only for his header from the corner of the six-yard box to be clutched by the keeper at his near post.

On 56 minutes McKee’s shot was deflected out for a corner which McLean floated into the goalmouth where Ollie Rowe’s header slipped past post while Hodge and Kerr had wrestled and fell to the ground; the Glens striker’s claim for a penalty fell also – on deaf ears!

At the other end McLernan broke into the left-hand side of the box forcing Burns to rush from his line and then coolly rounded the keeper with a great touch only for McMullin’s sliding tackle preventing him bagging a brace. Back came Glens and Kerr’s header from a Moffat cross was gathered by Donnelly.

On the hour mark Clydebank restored their two goal cushion after a powerful run from Kelly cutting inside from the left, by-passing a host of Glens player before clipping a superb ball to match Lee Gallacher’s run in from the right, to take a touch and on entering the box curled the ball between Rowe and the diving keeper into the far side of the net. 4-2 Bankies!

Bankies then brought on Larry McMahon for Joe Slattery.

Play went back and forth and Glens had a couple of half chances from scuccessive corner-kicks that saw the Donnelly clutch Rowe’s header and then watch Kerr’s header dip over the bar.

However, on 73 minutes Bankies added a fifth as Glens got into a fankle! Donnelly launched a goal kick high upfield and as McMullin prepared to head it clear it caught him square on his crown sending the ball high into the air and Glens’ defender crumbling to ground in some distress. In the meantime, McLernan leapt high to head the ball into the box where both McWaters and Little gave chase while Burns rushed from his line and it was Nicky Little that got a touch to edge it wide of the keeper before side footing the ball into the empty net.

Clydebank then made a triple substitution with the injured Jamie Darroch and goal scorers Ben McLernan Nicky Little making way for Matt Niven, Connor Higgins and Ciaran Mulcahy.

On 79 minutes McMullin picked up another injury and was replaced by Dean Currie.

Credit to Glens they worked hard to try and pull one back but soon found themselves defending a number of corner-kicks as Bankies looked to add to their tally.

With 5 minutes to go Glens brought on Leon Murphy and Cameron McKenzie for Alex McWaters and Hugh Kerr.

Clydebank side brought an impressive display to a conclusion after Gallacher played a short corner to Kelly who quickly returned it for the former Glens player to curl it into the six-yard box where Ciaran Mulcahy leapt to bullet a header home.

FT Clydebank 6 Glenafton 2