Clyde v Gretna

Recap

Clyde eased into the fourth round of the cup after a much improved second half display. Andy Smith should have grabbed a hat trick but had to settle for only two goals with other being provided by Jack Ross. Gretna must have rued the fact they chose to keep prolific striker Martin Cameron on the bench in the first half when they were well on top for most of the period.

Despite signing Kevin Fotheringham to bolster our left side Clyde’s lack of depth in this area is still very apparent. With David Hagen absent and Fotheringham only deemed fit enough for the bench it was left for John Fraser to take up the difficult role in left midfield. Clyde fielded a very powerful back four of Mensing, McCluskey, Kernaghan and McLaughlin and kept Harty and Smith in the striking roles.

In very blustery conditions Clyde didn’t settle at all and it was Gretna making the running from the start. Clyde looked very tentative as they were overpowered in midfield as Fraser and Marshall were peripheral figures. Mensing endured a terrible first half with hardly an accurate pass by him and generally very hesitant play. Gretna had the first strike on target from the corner of the box but Morrison did well to smother it. Forcing corner after corner Gretna were unable to find a clean strike at goal. It took fully twenty minutes for Harty to collect a long ball and fire a fierce drive from the edge of the box that the keeper did well to parry. Ross had a powerful drive from a free kick routine well saved too and McLaughlin steamed in to meet a free kick but headed over. Following another Gretna corner Smith inexplicably headed the ball towards his own goal from the edge of the box and Morrison was more than happy to see the resultant strike by a Gretna player bounce in front of him and over the bar. Morrison was not so happy five minutes before half time when he had to leave the field injured. He made a real hash of coming for a swirling cross and fell heavily on his shoulder. Halliwell must have been only too happy to see some action again. The best thing that could be said about the first half was that Clyde had not conceded a goal.

Clyde began the second half with the same XI despite some dire performances in the first half. Fortunately they seemed more determined and Harty quickly fired a shot from the edge of the box that the keeper did well to turn away. This determined spell only lasted about five minutes as the same pattern seemed to set in again with Clyde finding it very difficult to keep and pass the ball around. Clyde needed a goal and after ten minutes it came from Andy Smith. Picking the ball up just inside the Gretna half he charged towards goal and passed the ball to Harty near the box. Finding himself crowded out Harty fed the ball to Marshall out wide and his cross was headed into the net by Smith from six yards out. Suddenly Clyde were a different team and Gretna seemed to realise the game was up as Clyde relaxed and settled into their game. After a further ten minutes it was Smith again who scored number two. A whipped free kick by Marshall was headed powerfully towards goal by McLaughlin. The keeper pulled off a fine reflex save but Smith was there to beat everybody to the ball and nod into the net. Obviously thinking of a hat trick Smith put in a tremendous shift to try a find number three. He found the net once but was offside and was set up by Harty but skewed his shot wide from around the penalty spot with the goal gaping. Gretna’s keeper again denied Smith by clawing a close range header away to safety. Although Gretna finally introduced Cameron with twenty minutes to go the game wound down as Gretna failed to pose a threat. With a 2-0 victory looking the result Marshall and Fraser switched flanks in the last minute. Marshall then fed the ball to Ross who was running clear. With everybody expecting him to round the keeper the skipper instead reached about twenty yards out and swept a curling shot high into the net for a glorious third goal.

As in many recent games Clyde have looked a much better team in the second half. Without Hagen Clyde look like really struggling on the left and Fotheringham will have to be introduced sooner rather than later. Smith’s goals and general workrate were first class and in case you hadn’t realised Clyde have scored three times in each of the last three games. Long may it continue.

STAR RATINGS *****

Morrison ** Struggled in the conditions but was unlucky to get injured.
Mensing ** Dreadful first half but far more secure second half.
McCluskey **** Another steady game from the new man.
Kernaghan **** Back to his usual self but also booked again.
McLaughlin ***** Another fine performance from the fans’ favourite.
Ross *** No problem with effort but technically not great today.
Fraser ** Troubled out on the left.
Marshall ** Needs to show more conviction but some good crosses.
Smith ***** Great stuff from the veteran.
Gibson ** Struggling for form and touch.
Harty **** Confident and working hard if a little selfish at times.

Halliwell ** Hardly had a save to make in 50 minutes of action.
McConalogue * Didn’t touch the ball in his short spell.

REACTION

ALAN KERNAGHAN – "The conditions didn’t help in the first half but we didn’t really take the game by the scruff of the neck. It went downhill after the first 20 seconds.

"We managed to put four or five passing moves together in the second half and got three goals out of it. Andy was fantastic and could have had a hat-trick if it wasn’t for "greedy Harty"! Everybody did much better in the second half.

"It’s about time Jack got on the scoresheet and it’s been coming. I’m delighted for him."

ANDY SMITH – "Full credit to Gretna, who I think were the better team in the first half. They will do well this year and should come out of their league.

"We knew at half-time that we had to be patient and keep passing the ball about. Playing against the wind was definitely easier because the ball was holding up rather than just running out of the park.

"Working hard has always been part of my game. I’ve never been the most skilful of players although I’ve probably got better as I’ve got older because I’ve worked under good managers and coaches. At my age you need to keep yourself fit and Billy said at the end of the game that I was a credit to myself, which was nice of him. The balls are falling to me just now but as long as the team keeps winning then I’m happy."

JACK ROSS – "I had a few chances before I scored and was taking a bit of stick from Ian Harty but I’ve told him that I’m fine from anywhere outside 25 yards! It was a good ball by Colin Marshall and I’d made my mind up early that I was going to hit it first time. I’d like to have remained cool and composed and walked away but I got a bit excited!

"Gretna played very well. When you are going well in the league, no matter what league it is, you are going to be confident because you are winning games. We knew beforehand it was going to be difficult and we didn’t help ourselves in the first half.

"We had a few harsh words at half-time and improved in the second half. We scored the goals at the right time. Today maybe shows how our season has gone so far – we didn’t play brilliantly but we’ve won 3-0 which looks great on paper."