Clyde v The Spartans

Recap

Clyde clawed their way back into the William Hill League Two title race this afternoon, as they claimed their first-ever league win over pacesetters The Spartans at the eleventh time of asking.

Darren Young made a trio of changes to the team which drew with Forfar three weeks ago, with Logan Dunachie replacing the suspended Tommy Robson, Robbie Leitch instated in place of the departed Taylor Sutherland, and Scott Williamson preferred up front. Midweek loan signing Aiden McGinlay took a place on the bench.

The Bully Wee started the match the better of the two sides and had a couple of chances within the opening quarter of an hour. First, Robbie Leitch connected with James Hilton’s corner and flicked the ball towards goal, but couldn’t quite sneak it through a gaggle of visiting defenders. Moments later, Williamson was played through in the box and beat the last defender, but could only direct a tame effort straight at Paddy Martin.

Williamson was a thorn in the side of The Spartans’ rearguard all afternoon and fashioned another opportunity after picking Jordan Tapping’s pocket, but the away defender recovered to block the striker’s resulting shot. The latter soon had the ball in the Clyde net after knocking home from a free kick delivery, but a tight offside call meant the strike was ruled out.

There was little else of note to report until the very end of the half, when The Spartans passed up a glorious chance to punish some slack positioning from their hosts. Having mounted a rapid break from the breakdown of a Clyde long throw, they found themselves with a two-on-one, but poor decision making allied to some desperate recovery runs meant that the threat only amounted to a harmless shot over the bar.

Clyde approached the second half in a somewhat more patient manner and immediately reclaimed control of proceedings. Dunachie, Williamson and Hilton all had good chances to test Martin, but the telling final touch was once again sorely lacking. It wasn’t to be long before the mounting pressure told, and it did so in somewhat fortuitous fashion. Darren Hynes – a late first-half replacement for the injured Barry Cuddihy – had started to make a few forays forward and whipped in a dangerous-looking cross, which Tapping could only glance beyond his own ‘keeper as he attempted to deal with it.

Darren Young’s men were visibly buoyed by the breaking of the deadlock and the decisive second goal arrived in quick order. Hynes was involved again as he delivered a low ball into the area and Leitch gathered it smartly amid traffic, before turning and flicking a delicious effort inside the far post with the outside of his foot.

It seemed from there as though it would be plain sailing for The Bully Wee, who looked likely to add a third. The best opportunity to do so once again came the way of the industrious Williamson, who pinched possession to start an attack and almost finished it off, with his header down Martin’s throat. A nervy climax was set up in injury time, however, when Mark Stowe raced in behind to gather a long ball and kept his cool before slotting past Jay Hogarth to pull one back.

A nail-biting couple of minutes ensued, but The Bully Wee stood firm to claim a crucial win which means they now sit six points off the summit heading into a congested month of action.