Montrose v Clyde

Recap

Clyde headed to Angus for the second time in nine days, to find a Links Park playing surface made difficult by relentless rain.

It was the Bully Wee who were first to master the difficult conditions, and they took an early lead from the first real chance of the game.

In the eleventh minute, a well-worked passing move down the right wing saw Neil McGregor send Alex Williams to the by-line and the ex-Morton man’s cross, despite the presence of keeper Jim Butter and defender Kerr Dodds, was headed powerfully home by Tom Brighton, who impressed throughout with his positive attacking play and good touch.

In control Clyde nearly doubled their lead seven minutes later when a shot from Stephen O’Donnell was unceremoniously cleared off the Montrose line by Kerr Dodds, the second such goal-line clearance within two minutes, as the visitors threatened to finish off the tie.

Montrose were proving to be a punch-less lot and Clyde’s confidence was there for all to see as they defended well, dominated midfield and attacked to some purpose.

A minute before half-time both Eddie Malone and Alex Williams were booked, in Eddie’s case a second caution in successive matches.

The second half began with Clyde setting the pace, opening up the home defence and forcing a corner. It was not a pattern that was sustained, as the Broadwood youngsters seemed to lose their focus for the first fifteen minutes of the second half.

Towards the end of this fourth quarter’s play Montrose had their best chance when Henslee flicked the ball on from a right wing cross, apparently catching Duncan McLean by surprise. Positioned just inside the six yard box, the ball seemed to get stuck under McLean’s studs and in spite of his near-frantic efforts, the close-range chance was gone.

Four minutes from time, a good Paul Jarvie save denied Willie Martin and ended any prospect of extra time being played.

A minute from time Craig Bryson’s was the third Clyde name to be entered in the referee’s book, as Clyde deservedly moved towards the Second Round of the CIS Cup. They’d had more shots on goals, more corners and seemed altogether to sharp for their opponents, for whom ex-Clyde man Paul Doyle did well for much of the game in containing Alex Williams.