Forfar Athletic v Clyde

Recap

Clyde opened their 2024/2025 William Hill Scottish League Two campaign with a drab stalemate against Forfar Athletic at Station Park.

Andy Murdoch was handed his Clyde debut as Ian McCall made three changes from the lineup against Montrose. Marley Redfern and Martin Rennie returned in favour of Lee Connelly and Logan Dunachie who both dropped to the bench.

Clyde were the first to infiltrate their opponents’ half in the fifth minute after Marley Redfern sent a high shot into the box, which landed at the feet of Martin Rennie, but his close range effort was easily collected by McCallum.

In what was an even, but cagey start to the match, Cannon was bound to direct home an opportunity from within the box, only for the ball to be swiftly intercepted by Lee Hamilton.

As the match remained in its early stages, Jordan Allan tried to connect onto Paul McKay’s throw-in within a cramped box, but he was unable to get a hold of the ball, before it was cleared.

However, it was the hosts who had the first clear chance of the afternoon to open the scoring in the 22nd minute. Morrison fired an instant header from a free-kick which was denied by Kinnear tipping it over the bar. Meanwhile, seconds later, McLean’s thunderous volley from the far edge of the box whistled past the woodwork.

With proceedings nearing the half hour mark, Allan was yet again foiled in an attempt to bypass the Loons’ defence. In an effort to retain possession of Grant’s pass from outside the box, he struggled to maintain his footing as the ball went out of reach.

As the clock edged closer to the interval, there continued to be a lack of composure in attack from both teams with Murdoch’s shot from the outer edge of the box in the 44th minute careering narrowly wide while a header in the Clyde box nestled straight into the palms of Kinnear.

Forfar started the second period on the front foot after Allan shoved a header from the centre of the box goalwards, only to be denied by the ‘keeper. The Bully Wee responded in failing to execute while exerting pressure on the hosts’ defence with Lee Hamilton firing the ball at Rennie’s feet from inside the box, only for the forward to lose grasp of possession.

In what was starting to become a running theme for the Bully Wee, Allan managed to muster an effort at goal from deep within the box, only for his effort to be blocked by McCallum. Later, in the 65th minute, Liam Scullion’s looping free-kick was caught by Rennie from the goalmouth, but his header was saved by the ‘keeper.

At the other end, the ball was floated into the six-yard area but seemed to evade the Forfar bodies in the box, while another attempt to break the deadlock was foiled by the visitors after Rennie came a hairs width away from the final touch on a low cross into the box.

As the match entered the final quarter, the Loons came close to opening their tally through Inglis, only for Kinnear to race from the white line and clear the danger with a sharp stop. Meanwhile, with five minutes of normal time remaining, Lee Connelly sent a high ball into the box which careered off target.

However, McLean did bundle the ball into the net for Forfar, in what looked like a late winner in the 89th minute, but it was chalked off by the referee due to a high foot in the buildup by MacLean as both teams settled for a share of the spoils.