Elgin City v Clyde

Last week’s free weekend served a stretched Bully Wee squad well as Andy Murdoch and James Hilton recovered from their respective issues to start the game, with fellow returnees Craig Howie and Mouhamed Niang also fit enough to feature in proceedings from a nine-man bench.

The first half was an even affair, with chances coming at both ends. Clyde snapped at Elgin straight from kick-off and fashioned an opportunity for Marley Redfern in the opening minute but, in what was to be a recurring theme on a heavy pitch, the opposing defence recovered in time to make the block.

The hosts soon asked some questions of the division’s stingiest defence, but the Clyde rearguard typically stood firm, aided by some fine goalkeeping by Jay Hogarth. The teams exchanged big chances midway through the half as Redfern skewed a free header wide, before Elgin’s Oliver Colloty somehow contrived to miss the target from close range at the back post.

It wasn’t long before The Bully Wee punished the latter miss, as Murdoch played a ball forward to Kyle Connell. The Clyde striker’s linking play had been the fulcrum of his team’s attacking output in the first half hour but on this occasion he went alone, spinning his marker and striding into the box before powering an excellent finish across Tom Ritchie and into the bottom corner.

The home side responded with a bit of pressure towards the interval – drawing an excellent save from Hogarth – and maintained it on the resumption of play, leading to a leveller on the hour. Jack MacIver was afforded too much space outside the Clyde box and let fly with a vicious and unstoppable effort, which left Hogarth flailing as it dipped inside the far post.

Darren Young’s men defended manfully in the aftermath of the equaliser as Elgin took complete control, but came back into proceedings after introducing some fresh legs. There were to be two more good chances for Clyde to nick all three points; first, Robbie Leitch’s powerful strike was deflected over the bar, before an injury time corner delivery was headed on target by Howie, but only into the grateful clutches of Ritchie.