Clyde v Dumbarton

Recap

The Bully Wee survived a late scare at Hamilton Community Stadium this afternoon, as they bounced back from last week’s heavy defeat with an otherwise comfortable victory.

Manager Darren Young made two changes to the team which started that match in Elgin, with Craig Howie (muscle strain) and Marley Redfern dropping out. Jamie Bradley – starting in a deeper midfield role – and Nathan Cannon were their replacements, with Kyle Fleming dropping into the rearguard.

Cannon’s return unfortunately didn’t last long as he broke down within the opening ten minutes, seemingly with a recurrence of the thigh injury he picked up against the same opponent in August; he was replaced by Redfern.

Clear cut chances were at a premium until midway through the first half, with Kyle Connell’s powerful strike drawing a smart save from travelling ‘keeper Mason Munn before Liam Rooney did well to recover from his own error to snuff out a dangerous two-on-one situation.

The hosts would soon lead, however, when ex-Clyde man Tom Lang hauled down Scott Williamson outside the corner of the visitors’ box. The striker showed his predatory instincts from the resulting free kick, darting across the front post to direct Connell’s wicked delivery into the back of the net.

The Bully Wee looked the only team likely to score the game’s next goal, but were guilty of some slack play in the final third after working their way into auspicious positions. Just as it seemed like Young’s men would once again head into the break holding a precarious advantage, they grabbed a crucial second goal.

Connell’s long throw caused havoc in The Sons’ box, with the ball partially cleared but sent back into the packed box and dropping for captain Barry Cuddihy. His strike didn’t make it all the way through bodies, falling to Timam Scott who looked primed to convert his first Clyde goal from close range. He couldn’t quite squeeze it home, but the loose ball bounced across to Bradley who bravely threw himself at it to bundle it into the net.

The match carried on in a similar vein after the break, with the hosts unable to put the result out of sight despite getting into some threatening positions. As the clock ticked into the final ten minutes, substitute Jack Anderson played a wonderful through ball to Williamson, who saw his strike unfortunately smack the outside of the post.

It’s seldom easy going for Bully Wee fans and their team put their hearts in their mouths again late on, when Leighton McIntosh – amid suggestions of an offside – pulled down a lengthy Munn kick, spun and lofted a sumptuous long-range finish over Jay Hogarth, who had been a virtual spectator to that point.

The afternoon’s drama wouldn’t end there, though; Dumbarton unsurprisingly threw everything forward in search of an equaliser and, short at the back, they found themselves reduced to ten men in the dying embers. The ever-game Williamson got the better of Chris McKenna and bore down on goal, with the defender issued his marching orders after hauling the striker back.

Redfern struck the same post and Williamson fluffed a one-on-one as time ran out, but the defence behind them stood tall in the face of a late aerial bombardment to maintain Clyde’s perfect home record and keep pace with table toppers Stranraer.