Clyde 5-1 Clachnacuddin

A disappointing KDM Evolution Trophy campaign ended with a flourish at Hamilton Community Stadium this evening, as Clyde outclassed Clachnacuddin in a match lit up by Kyle Connell.

Darren Young unsurprisingly shuffled his pack for the match, which saw Barry Cuddihy enter a rarefied band of players to have represented The Bully Wee on 300 occasions.

The match was played out at a fairly low tempo all evening, but was relatively evenly matched early on. That would all change on the quarter of an hour mark, however, when Connell’s long throw carried all the way to Bobby Kiltie, who nodded home from close range to score his first career goal.

Within ten more minutes, it was two. Connell drew a superb stop from visiting ‘keeper Mark Ridgers after some dazzling work on the flank by Kiltie, before floating in a corner which was emphatically headed home by Lewis Lovering for the defender’s second Clyde goal.

Clach had a couple of half chances to reduce the deficit before the interval but couldn’t seriously test Jay Hogarth, though the Bully Wee stopper had to be alert to race from his goal and smother at the feet of an onrushing attacker.

Connell assumed the armband after the break and got in on the scoring action himself a minute after the resumption of play, when he found the back of the net with a fine effort from range.

Less than five minutes later, Kiltie added another goal after being found by a clever ball in behind; he saw his first effort blocked, but kept his cool and rounded Ridgers before lifting a smart finish into the roof of the net.

Clachnacuddin would soon pull one back when they put together a nice move down their left side, to which Shae Keogh coolly applied the finishing touch from the middle of the home box.

The scoring was rounded off midway through the half when Connell grabbed his third assist of the evening, getting the better of his man down the right before sending in a low cross which found Logan Dunachie. The big defender is more renowned for his heading prowess but produced a lovely finish to divert the ball beyond Ridgers for his side’s fifth of the night.

With the Clyde squad stretched paper thin and further niggles picked up over the course of the match, Darren Young sensationally turned to substitute Danny Terry for an outfield cameo late on. There was nearly to be a dream moment for the ‘keeper as he evaded his marker in the six yard box, but fellow substitute Scott Williamson – who soon after struck the post – failed to roll the ball across to him and missed the target himself.