Clyde v Partick Thistle

Recap

Clyde entertained traditional rivals Thistle, looking to finally hit the ground running at Broadwood.

Pat Clarke returned from suspension, with Lowing back into the right hand side of defence and Div McKay being employed in front of him.

Thistle started the brighter when a Harkins free kick was well struck but Cherrie would get his body behind it well. The same two players would be involved soon after but the result would be the same.

Despite not being fluent, Clyde were pressing up the park more with Emslie and Kettlewell neat and tidy in possession. The first chance of sorts came to Gemmill, who turned Maxwell neatly but blasted his long range shot over.

One noticeable aspect of the Clyde play to the point was the good service into the box, from wide areas, but lack of support in central areas. From one tantalising Waddle delivery McKay appeared to be taken out and Emslie’s follow up effort was well blocked.

Then on 27 minutes Thistle would take the lead slightly against the run of play. A long cross field punt by Paton saw Chaplain beat Gibson in the air but Kettlewell’s cleared header was well read and the now customary goal against Clyde came in fine fashion as he volleyed on the turn past a static Cherrie.

The other moments worth noting in the first half was a booking for Ohnesorge for a foul on Lennon and no booking for Lennon for two acts of simulation.

Down at half time, the Clyde fans recognised the effort but also urged less caution and more attack.

Thankfully this would be the case as Clyde really went for Thistle in the second half, with the central midfield pairing finally getting forward to support the front two.

The first chance came to the Captain, in a move he was instrumental in. Lowing would feed the ball into him and Kettlewell would slip a delightful ball through to McKay, whose cross was cleared only as far as Kettlewell whose drive went narrowly over.

Kettlewell would then set up the next chance after winning the ball in midfield he played the ball to Clarke, who pushed wide to Elmslie. The young loan Ranger looked up and fed the ball into the path of the flying McKay, whose inviting cross had no takers.

Emslie was again involved with Clyde’s next chance when he superbly weighted path picked out the intelligent run of sub McSwegan, but the veteran strikers effort on the turn, turned out to be easy for Tuffey.

The pressure paid off with 21 minutes remaining from the penalty spot after McKay had been brought down after good link up play by himself and Clarke. The latter would calmly slot the ball down the middle to give the home side a deserved leveller.

Thistle would then make their introduction to the second half, when Cherrie pulled off a very good save from a Rowson piledriver from the edge of the box.

Cherrie would then have to look smart when he dived at the feet of Lennon who seemed to follow through. Given his unpunished diving in the first half, Clyde fans could possibly been frustrated that the challenge on Cherrie didn’t end his afternoon.

Thistle sub Turner would also follow through on Kettlewell with a challenge that rightly saw a yellow card issued, and brought Kettlewell’s afternoon to a premature end.

Clyde would then be a whisker away from taking the lead and it would have been some goal. After good link up play from Ohnesorge and Gemmill, the young striker turned Maxwell again superbly and unleashed a 30-yard dipping shot that Tuffey somehow managed to tip on to the bar and eventually the ball would be cleared from danger.

With seconds remaining McSwegan would turn Maxwell with ease and feed in Gemmill, who was got his shot away, while being bundled over by Paton and Tuffey would again prove why he is an International goalkeeper.

In the end a draw would be all Clyde had to show. On the plus side they remain unbeaten at home in the league, and finally produced a performance that would send most of the fans home content. The effort from the midfield to support the strikers paid dividends and on another day the three points would have been retained by the home side.