Clyde v Queen of the South

Recap

The Bully Wee, playing some exciting, attacking football, deservedly extended their unbeaten run to five games as Alex Williams, on loan to Queens last season, unwittingly scored the game’s only goal.

The Queens defence was under pressure from the off and appeared to find it difficult to cope with the pace of the lively young Clyde team. Tom Brighton escaped the visitors offside trap in the sixth minute to latch on to a ball from Michael McGowan but the Scotland Under 21 cap was over-anxious, blazing his shot well wide from a tight angle, when a pass to Alex Williams might have been the better option.

The Bully Wee’s early pressure paid off in the thirteenth minute when Tom Brighton picked up a Craig McKeown pass, broke into the box but his effort on the turn was well blocked by Richie Barnard. The ball then rebounded to Alex Williams who seemed certain to score from ten yards out. Unfortunately his shot hit Queens defender Eric Paton but came straight back to him, hit his knee and went in! It was no classic goal, but one which at least reflected Clyde’s superiority.

In the twenty-sixth minute ex-Clyde man Jim Thomson was booked for going through the back of Tom Brighton on the halfway line. Seven minutes later David McNiven became booking number two for sliding in for a loose ball and connecting with Clyde ‘keeper Paul Jarvie.

In the thirty-sixth a Clyde cross from the right bounced up and hit Jim Thomson on the arm in the penalty area. There seemed to be only one decision, especially as the assistant referee put up his flag but referee Colin Hardie waved play on and indicated that it had hit the big defender on the chest!

A minute later Brian McColligan became booking number three for the visitors when he committed another rash challenge on Tom Brighton, again on the half-way mark.

Three minutes from half-time the Doonhamers had their best chance to regain parity when a great ball from English was well controlled by David McNiven, who moved forward into the penalty area. However, the finish of the move, a shot from fifteen yards out, was abysmal.

Just as the first half was due to end, Paul Jarvie was in the wars again as David McNiven, for the second time, slid into a collision with the keeper. This time the goalie was hurt and had to be stretchered off with a knee injury. Peter Cherrie came on for Paul Jarvie but didn’t have time to touch the ball before the half time whistle.

Just three minutes after the interval, Clyde had a great chance to increase their lead when Alex Williams failed to take a good chance, then a Tom Brighton shot was scrambled clear by Jim Thomson.

In the fiftieth minute Gary Arbuckle replaced Craig Bryson. Five minutes later the visitors’ first effort on target flew straight into the waiting arms of Peter Cherrie.

A couple of minutes later, Queens keeper Richard Barnard was to the fore with a fantastic double-save from Tom Brighton, from the edge of the box, and a Stephen O’Donnell follow-up shot which was subsequently ruled offside.

The Queens keeper was again in action a couple of minutes later when he attempted to thwart Tom Brighton’s bid to take advantage of Brian Reid’s short pass-back. The Clyde striker won the race and pulled the ball back into the middle where an under pressure Stephen O’Donnell hit the ball well over the bar from fifteen yards out.

Queens substitute Willie Gibson, barely on the park two minutes became booking number four for a bad challenge on Michael McGowan.

In the last twenty minutes, Clyde’s midweek cup exploits appeared to catch up with them and the visitors began their best spell of the match. Brian McColligan was twice thwarted by impressive replacement keeper Peter Cherrie. Tom Brighton then had the chance to put the game beyond the visitors in eighty-one minutes when he got the better of Eric Paton but drilled his shot well over.

It was a wasted chance but one that ultimately made no difference to the outcome as Clyde held out against a disappointing and over-robust Queens team.