Clyde 3-1 East Stirlingshire
Clyde picked up a welcome three points in Ladbrokes League 2 this afternoon, as three second half goals secured a well-deserved home victory.
Barry Ferguson named the same starting line-up as last week at Montrose, with Scott Durie, Mark McLaughlin and Hugh Murray all sidelined.
Similar to the last match at Broadwood, Clyde took the early initiative and created numerous chances, but without finding the net. David Gormley, with a header, and Archie Campbell, with a fierce shot from the edge of the box, both forced East Stirling ‘keeper Richie Barnard into an excellent save.
Michael Bolochoweckyj was then denied what looked to be a clear penalty when he was pushed in the box, before the visitors survived a scramble in the box.
The Shire’s only real chance of the first half came following a cross into the box, but Jon Tully’s shot missed the target.
There was more frustration for The Bully Wee before the break as Scott Linton and Scott Ferguson were next to be prevented by Barnard and Chris Smith’s header somehow went over the bar from inside the six-yard box.
Early in the second half, Ferguson’s shot drifted just past the post but, thankfully, an opening goal arrived after 53 minutes. Sean Higgins took advantage of a loose ball in the penalty box and neatly placed a shot past Barnard and into the bottom corner of the net.
The lead was doubled two minutes later. Following good play on the right, Campbell’s low cross ran across the front of goal but Linton did well to come in at the back post and find the net from a tight angle, with the help of a touch from an East Stirling defender.
Bolochoweckyj then had a header cleared off the line but The Shire pulled a goal back after 72 minutes when Nathan Shepherd scored with a low shot, after a corner was only partially cleared by the Clyde defence.
However, just seconds later, the points were made safe when Clyde were awarded a free-kick at the edge of the box and Higgins converted it with a superb shot into the top corner.
If you were at today’s match and are a CIC owner with a website account, you can vote for your top three performers in the Man of the Match vote.
HALF-TIME DRAW WINNING NUMBERS: 1st 0998 (cash prize), 2nd 2269 (£25 voucher), 3rd 2957 (match voucher)