Annan Athletic v Clyde

Recap

The Bully Wee recorded a superb away win in Ladbrokes League 2 this afternoon, in a match that was played in very heavy rain on the artificial surface at Galabank.

Barry Ferguson made one change to the starting line-up following last week’s defeat to Arbroath, with Michael Bolochoweckyj returning to replace Chris Mitchell in defence.

Clyde started the match strongly and took the lead with only 5 minutes on the clock. Scott Linton’s long throw into the box caused the home defence problems and that gave him time to chase his own delivery, arrive in the box and smash the loose ball home.

As The Bully Wee continued to look dangerous, the lead was doubled after 18 minutes by Scott McLaughlin. The midfielder picked up the ball just outside the box and curled a superb shot into the corner of the net.

However, Annan quickly dragged themselves back into the match by getting a goal in reply. David Marsh was penalised for a foul at the edge of the box and Peter Weatherson stepped up to put the ball over the wall and into the bottom corner of John Gibson’s goal.

Weatherson was soon involved in the action again, but this time in a negative fashion as referee Colin Steven was quick to show him a red card, after the forward appeared to catch Bolochoweckyj in the face with his arm or elbow.

With a numerical advantage, Clyde could have restored the two-goal lead before half-time but Marsh couldn’t quite finish off a flowing team move and David Gormley’s looping effort just missed the target.

Just after the hour mark, a spell of pressure from The Bully Wee led to a crucial third goal. A third corner in quick succession was sent into the box by McLaughlin and Marsh met it at the near post, glancing a lovely header past home ‘keeper Jordan Hart.

It looked as though the lead would be further extended following that, but Mark McLaughlin’s header went over, Ferguson hit the outside of the post and Gormley’s cross-cum-shot just evaded the top corner.

Annan rarely threatened the Clyde goal in the second half, but substitute Smart Osadolor came close with a header before grabbing a consolation goal deep into injury time.