Clyde v Motherwell

Recap

Clyde battled out a hard-fought draw against Premiership opponents Motherwell in their Group G League Cup opener, with the visitors taking a bonus point on penalties at a sun-stroked New Douglas Park.

Darren Young handed new signings Sam Campbell and James Hilton their first start with Kyle Fleming making his debut off the bench.

The first opportunity of the match fell to the visitors in the third minute when Halliday floated a corner deep into the box from the right, but it was comfortably saved by Kinnear.

It was not until the 11th minute that Clyde showed any threat when Hilton drove forward into the box, but he was denied by Ward.

However, it was second time lucky for the striker when he struck home the opener in the 16^th minute. A meek pass from a defender was quickly interpreted by an unmarked Hilton who unleashed the ball from 30 yards which crashed into the roof of the net.

It only took five minutes for the Steelmen to equalise when the ball bounced off the bar and into a crammed box where Maswanhise was the first to react and strike a low header beyond the Kinnear.

On the half hour mark, Hilton’s corner reached the feet of Robson outside the box, but the defender’s attempt flew wide as The Bully Wee attempted to infiltrate the visitors’ half.

With five minutes until the break, Williamson went agonisingly close to regaining the hosts’ lead. After connecting onto Redfern’s pass, the forward raced into the box whilst withholding pressure from ‘Well defender Balmer but his shot went narrowly wide.

The visitors began the restart on the front foot as Maswanhise completed his braace. Kinnear lost possession of the ball in the centre of the box which was picked up by Stamatelopoulos and fed to the Zimbabwean who mercilessly fired a powerful shot into an empty net.

The Steelmen’s lead did not last long as the Bully Wee responded in the 53rd minute. Redfern’s cross from the left was floated across the box untouched to reach the path of a gleeful Scullion who rammed his header home.

Just attempted a shot from the edge of the box for the visitors in the 67th minute only to go narrowly wide while Maswanhise sought a hattrick minutes later when he barged into the box, but his attempt from close range rattled the post.

With four minutes remaining on the clock, the visitors went narrowly close to snatching a late winner when the ball fell to Slattery in the middle of the box, but he missed the target.

Robson, Leitch, Nevans and Fleming all converted their penalties for Clyde as did Motherwell’s Halliday, Slattery, Just, Yule and Sparrow.

However, Dunachie’s spot kick was saved by Ward to gift the Steelmen the bonus point.