The Spartans v Clyde

Recap

A late collapse saw The Bully Wee surrender two points in the capital this afternoon, with Logan Dunachie’s red card on the hour proving to be the turning point.

Darren Young was able to name the same team which impressively beat Forfar Athletic at home last week, with Barry Cuddihy returning on the bench.

The hosts settled into the game quickest without creating many clear-cut chances, though they came a whisker away from taking the lead just beyond the quarter of an hour mark. Old tormentor Mark Stowe picked up possession and fired a fierce curling strike towards Jay Hogarth’s goal, and it smacked the junction of crossbar and post before bouncing clear.

Clyde edged their way into matters, though, and had slightly the better of the remainder of the opening period. They would take the lead on the half hour mark, when Timam Scott drove beyond his man and slid the ball across the face of goal. Scott Williamson was alert in the middle, and duly tapped home from close range.

Hogarth made a superb stop from James Craigen’s well-hit effort to maintain his side’s advantage going into the interval, with little else of note occurring before the whistle.

The Bully Wee started the second period well and, within fifteen minutes, found themselves on easy street. Scott was found in space again on the right and again went past Ethan Drysdale, going down under the left-back’s challenge and – perhaps fortunately – being awarded a penalty. Williamson stepped up and converted the spot kick with aplomb, in doing so grabbing his second consecutive brace.

Clyde fans were still celebrating that goal when their team added a seemingly unassailable third. A fine pass through the heart of the home defence found Kyle Connell, who faced up Paddy Martin before coolly slotting the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Less than five minutes later, however, Dunachie was issued his marching orders, having lost his balance before putting in a high foot on Cammy Russell.

Clyde found life very difficult with ten men, relying on some manful defending to repel a home side which smelled blood. They soon pulled one goal back when a driven ball across by Ricardo Dinanga looked to be deflected off a defender and in off the far post.

The hosts would pull another back with a little over ten minutes remaining, when a deep cross was nodded home at the back post by Matthew Mudie. As the ninety minute mark loomed, another header completed the comeback: The Bully Wee switched off for a short corner, with a hanging cross met by Ayrton Sonkur. His header was caught by Hogarth, but the ball was deemed to have crossed the line by the officials as Clyde had to make do with a point on the road.