Clyde v Arbroath

Recap

Billy Reid’s team selection included a few interesting changes to Allan Maitland’s preferred line-up. Mark McLaughlin played in the left centre back role and David Dunn returned to play left wing back. Pat Keogh dropped back to midfield, leaving Carrots and Hinds up front.

The players were greeted onto the park to a big cheer from a larger usual crowd, and as soon as the game kicked off you could see the week’s events weren’t going to hamper the performance. After 17 seconds, Leigh Hinds picked up the ball in the box (after good work by Jack Ross) and after beating his man fired the ball across goal from a tight angle and nearly gave Clyde a dream start. From then on Clyde really dominated the half, playing some good attacking football and appearing to get more players into attacking positions. Jamie Mitchell had a great chance to score after Davey Dunn knocked down a cross but his volley from inside the box went wide. After a good move involving Pat Keogh and Jack Ross, the ball fell to Carrigan in the box and after his shot was saved and Fraser’s attempt was blocked, Jamie Mitchell could only blast over the bar. Soon after, a cross by Mensing was met by Mark McLaughlin (the two centre backs were making their way into the opposition penalty box regularly – interesting) and he was adjudged to have been pushed by the referee. A slightly harsh decision for Arbroath in my opinion but it’s about time we got given a dodgy penalty. Pat Keogh beat the keeper with a well struck penalty to give Clyde the lead. Straight after that, Bryn Halliwell superbly tipped over a header from a corner to keep the scores level at half-time. Overall, an encouraging half of football by Clyde during which the whole team looked different somehow but I can’t really pinpoint it.

The second half was much duller, as we sat back a bit and tried to hold onto our lead. We either did that very well or Arbroath were very poor, but the only time they looked dangerous was a 5 minute spell when Bud (who replaced Bryn Halliwell after his calf gave in) dropped a couple of high balls in quick succession. It looked like Bud was a wee bit over enthusiastic having just come when he maybe thought he would never play for Clyde again. Not the worst fault in the world. Brian Carrigan had a near miss with a fine curling free kick from 25 yards. Leigh Hinds nearly got a second after he picked up a loose ball in the box and fired it across goal, but neither the shot or Carrigan at the back post got Clyde a goal. Leigh was substituted soon after and looked gutted to be taken off. John Fraser missed a glorious chance to kill the game when he collected the ball in the box all on his own but he scooped it well over the bar. Clyde defended well after that and earned a deserved 3 points.

Overall, an encouraging performance for me especially in the first half when I thought we played some of the best stuff going forward we have for a while. Tactically Billy, Andy and Alan got it right as well. Whoever the new manager is will inherit a squad that is very capable of making a go at the first Division next season.