Clyde 2-3 Stranraer

The Bully Wee exited the IRN-BRU Cup at the First Round stage this evening, losing out to Stranraer at Broadwood, in a match that went to extra time.

Jim Chapman made one enforced change, with Saturday’s matchwinner Smart Osadolor being promoted from the bench, in place of the suspended Kevin Nicoll.

Clyde took the lead with only 90 seconds on the clock. David Goodwillie got on the end of Jordan Stewart’s long free kick into the box, and the striker looked to be fouled when trying to get a shot away. Before the referee could make a decision, the ball found it’s way to Martin McNiff, who slotted past a static Belford in the Stranraer goal.

The visitors tried to hit back through Stephen Okoh but his shot from distance was held by Blair Currie. Goodwillie almost doubled Clyde’s advantage when he charged down a clearance from Belford, however the ball just fell the wrong side of the post.

Darren Miller also came close for the Bully Wee when his free kick from 20 yards brushed the side netting.

Smart Osadolor scored a wonderful individual goal not long after the half-time interval. The Nigerian forward won possession on the edge of the area, nutmegged David Barron, then placed a dipping shot over the head of Belford, from just inside the box.

Stranraer pulled a goal back through Scott Agnew from the penalty spot, after referee Grant Irvine judged Jack Breslin had fouled Grant Anderson in the area.

The Blues were level just four minutes later when the ball fell to Anderson. He hammered a shot into a congested penalty area, with the ball taking a deflection off Jordan Stewart into the Clyde net.

Both sides had chances to win the game in the ninety minutes; Okoh missed an open goal from close range, and Osadolor could have bagged another when he was played through on goal, but his shot was saved by Belford.

Extra time was required to separate the sides and Stranraer got the winning goal after 103 minutes. Blair Currie picked up the ball after it was played back by Callum Home and referee Irvine deemed it a deliberate passback, much to the protestations of the home defence. The indirect free-kick from six yards out was tapped to Ryan Wallace, who fired past a sea of Clyde defenders on the goal line.

The Bully Wee had a late chance to force the game to penalties, but Aaron Millar could not get any power behind his effort, and the ball was cleared off the line.

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.