Clyde v Ayr United

Recap

Clyde got the break of the ball and won this game but both Managers will know that they will have to perform better to achieve anything in this league. In the first half especially this was a dire end-of-season affair being played in August. With hardly a chance being fashioned by either side it was hardly a confidence booster for either set of fans.

Andy McClay began his first game for 10 months and David Hagen began in the left wingback role. Willie Falconer was given the nod over Pat Keogh at centre forward and Leigh Hinds was also on from the start.

Clyde began knocking the ball about confidently with McClay and Hinds combining well on the left but with no threat on the Ayr goal. Ayr began quite cautiously but began to take the game to Clyde after about 15 minutes. The first real attempt on goal came in the form of an Annand clip-shot that was straight into Halliwell’s arms. Overall Clyde looked very sluggish and as a result the inevitable back-to-front long ball seemed Clyde’s only tactic. Falconer was getting his head to the ball but nobody was reading where he was going to lay it off. Ayr managed to force a series of corners but none of them posed a threat to the Clyde goal. Clyde exerted some pressure from the set piece towards the end of the half but Falconer couldn’t find a clean strike. Half time arrived and brought an end to a wholly forgettable first half.

The second half began in much the same turgid style as the first until after 10 minutes of inaction when Clyde grabbed a goal out of nothing. The ball broke to Hinds just inside the box and he volleyed past Nelson. Ayr players were irate that a seemingly obvious dangerous play wasn’t given just before the goal. This spurred Ayr into action but a couple of tame shots came straight at Halliwell. Keogh and replaced Falconer and almost doubled the lead. His head-flick was tipped over the bar by Nelson at full stretch. The game became physical as Ayr pressed and as usual Clyde came off worse when it came to handing out the bookings. Ayr’s Grady scrambled the ball into the net but was deemed offside and substitute Kean had a rasping angled drive well parried by Halliwell. Convery replaced Hinds to give Clyde some running power up front. Clyde held out and saw out the remaining minutes of the game in the Ayr half.

It was far from a classic but a win is a win. The team will have to play 100% better to take anything away from Arbroath next week. Overall they look sluggish and lack pace going forward. A very pleasing aspect of the game was to see Andy McClay play the full match and 2 minutes into injury time he was still tackling and jumping for high balls he had no chance of getting