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Clyde v Blackpool

Recap

Friendly 2001-02

Broadwood Stadium

Clyde
Blackpool
2 - 1
Final Score

Recap

If Clyde don’t start the league campaign with this team, then I’ll be very surprised. They are by no means wonderful to watch, but they are very hard to beat. I’ve no idea at what strength this Blackpool team was, but they created very few chances in a game that was badly fragmented by a very petty referee. If we needed proof that football is becoming a non-contact sport it was provided today.

Clyde started quite sharply with some crisp passing movements and Blackpool were pinned back for spells. Hinds provided the opener after about 10 minutes. A simple through pass beat the offside and he easily rounded the keeper to slot home. I must admit that he looked offside to me, but I wasn’t in line with play. Blackpool eventually began to warm to their task although the standard of passing from both teams left a lot to be desired. The constant blowing of the whistle left the players getting frustrated and the tackles started to fly in. Towards the end of the half Blackpool were dominating and should have equalised. A sharp move saw their centre forward with only Budd to beat. He over elaborated, then passed and Budd pulled off a great save. This was the Clyde of last season with the midfielders standing off and treading on the toes of their own defence.

Millen didn’t reappear for the second half and Chris Aitken took the chance to dictate play from the middle of the park. Clyde didn’t look in too much trouble and several times found the way around the back of the Blackpool defence only for the crosses to find no takers. Clyde then extended their lead in controversial circumstances. Mitchell tried to go around a Blackpool defender and there was an obvious, if slight, tug on his sleeve. The referee didn’t see it though and waved play on. The game had restarted before he realised the linesman had seen the infringement. The resultant penalty was tucked away by Dunn. Blackpool were getting highly frustrated by events and started to push up to come back into the game. This left space for Dunn who was put through on the keeper. With the ball on his favoured left foot he must have been tempted to go for power, but he changed his mind and went for a right foot curler that smacked off the face of the crossbar. Blackpool then put some life into the game by pulling a goal back. Budd and his defence were looking a bit hesitant and exposed as the Blackpool forward latched onto a cross to fire home a neat goal. The usual procession of substitutions ruined the flow of the game, but at least we got a look at the trialist who replaced Murray on the right side of the defence. Andy Kane continued his dire form in front of goal when he was put through with the keeper to beat. He steadied himself and lifted the ball over the keeper, but wide.

Overall the pre-season games have given cause for optimism. Hinds is in confident mood and the goals are coming. Convery looks to have regained some confidence and sharpness. In the midfield McClay looks back to his energetic self, with the flair being supplied by Mitchell. Pat Keogh looks a certainty for the left centre back role unless injury forces him to cover elsewhere. There isn’t much between Halliwell and Budinaukas for the keeper position. Clyde appear a difficult team to beat. It’s now a question of whether the sparks can fly in midfield and up front.

Line-Ups

Clyde   Blackpool
Budinauckas
  Barnes
Murray
  O'Kane
Dunn
  Jaszczus
Smith
  Collins
Keogh
  Hughes
Ross
  Reid
Mitchell
  Coid
Millen
  Clarkson
Hinds
  Murphy
McClay
  Ormerod
Convery
  Milligan
Substitutes
Currie (Trialist)
  Williams
Halliwell
  Simpson
Bingham
  MacKenzie
Crawford
  Hills
A Kane
  Milligan
Aitken
  Tsiorlas

Details

Date Time League Season Full Time Attendance Report Author
July 28, 2001 3:00 pm Friendly 2001-02 90' 0 Alan Henderson

Officials

  • Referee
    Cammy Melville

Past Meetings

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