Clyde v Ross County

Recap

Clyde’s winning start to the First Division campaign continued with a convincing 1-0 victory over Ross County at Broadwood. Whilst the win keeps the Bully Wee on top of the table, it leaves ex-boss Alex Smith still looking for his first win over his former club.

The game started fairly scrappily with neither side really creating much in the opening fifteen minutes or so. But it was County who tried to threaten the Clyde goal first, with efforts from Burke and Robertson not doing enough to trouble Halliwell in goal.

But when short term signing Karim Kerkar got his blue boots working to full effect, the home fans had plenty to shout about. His quick feet had County midfielders floundering in their attempts to stop him, and eventually they resorted to fouling him the minute he got the ball. But he still managed to send a lovely ball through for Craig Bryson, but as the youngster steadied himself to shoot, the far side linesman brought the attack to an end with a late offside flag. Wilford then set up Bryson but the youngsters shot was blocked by McCulloch.

Wilford was a threat to the County defence as he won most of the balls in the air as well as holding up the ball to bring in the midfield. Kerkar showed his ability from dead balls as he put over a series of corners which all caused problems in the County defence and from one Fotheringham just headed over. The Algerian international was having a field day as he broke through time and again but his shooting appeared week until he fired a shot which Lauchlan knew little about as he blocked it then the little man in the blue boots sent Garden scrambling on his line with a forty-yard lob.

It was almost constant Clyde pressure now, though County did break forward with efforts from McSwegan, one a header and one a shot, both of which went wide. Then, at long last a County player was booked for a foul on Kerkar, with Rankin having his name taken and just after that Jimmy Gibson also had his name taken by referee Winter. As the half drew to a close Sheridan looked to have given Clyde a deserved lead but his effort from just inside the box came back off the underside of the crossbar and bounced behind Wilford as he looked for the rebound.

Sheridan broke through the visitors defence and he should have done better than scoop his shot well wide just after the interval then a run and shot from Wilford saw much the same result but the opening goal was inevitable and unsurprisingly it came with great work from Kerkar. He picked the ball up at the corner flag and turned Robertson inside out as he burst along the bye line before slipping an inch perfect pass to Wilford. The big Yorkshireman was left with time to control the ball before slipping a shot past Stuart Garden for his first Clyde goal. The former Notts County keeper had no chance with the shot.

County pushed forward looking for an equaliser and Robertson saw Halliwell block his drive from inside the box, then the keeper got down to easily stop a John Rankin attempt on the line.

County certainly offered some pressure in the closing minutes but never really looked like getting anything from the game as a defence well marshalled by Potter held firm.

So another three points sees Clyde sit proudly on top of the table for another week. If they can continue to play as they did yesterday, there is no reason why they cannot make the pundits who tipped us for relegation certainties look foolish again.
Yesterday was as good a display as anything we saw under Alan Kernaghan as the team fought for one another and linked well as a unit. A bit more luck in front of goal should have seen the game killed long before the hour mark was up.