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SEAN BRADY STRIKES AGAIN AS CLYDEBANK CONTINUE THE GIANT-KILLING RUN

Clydebank 1-0 Cambuslang Rangers

Clydebank continued to perform giant-killing acts against teams in higher division, this time the victim was to be Cambuslang Rangers in front of a crowd of 418.

This is how both sides lined up:

So that's the line-up, here's a diagram to show how the Bankies players took to the field:

A surprise was in store for myself when I found out that the programme organisers nicked my interview with Jon Crawford I have on this site!  They keep running out of ideas, it seems...

Clydebank kicked off the match, which ran late, and instantly there was chances.  Paul Brown quickly pouncing on a loose pass and found space in the box, bus he hit his shot wide of goal.  Clydebank responded by going right up the park and testing Craig Rowan in goal, Maxwell's shot though was right at him.

Clydebank remained positive in their attacking attitude, and on 4 minutes a high Graeme Dempsey cross was met with uncertainty from Rowan, and pressure from Maxwell caused him to drop it.  It was hoofed away before a Bankies player could connect though.

Hailstones had those kind of boots on today, some wonderful passing throughout from him.  On 12 minutes, he threaded a ball to Maxwell but again his shot was saved from the impressive Rowan.  The Lang responded to this by coming within inches of opening the scoring, a diagonal cross for William Holmes but he just couldn't connect his head to the ball, and it went harmlessly wide.

Clydebank then went right back up the pitch and won a corner, Hailstones swung it in and Fallen and Crawford both went to head the ball.  This uninvited challenge on Crawford forced the header well over.  Five minutes later, Ryan Waddell skinned a defender and dragged his shot wide.  And a minute afterwards, with 20 minutes gone, his corner kick went right towards the goalkeeper - except the goalkeeper completely missed it, and nobody was in there to follow it in.  So far, Rowan was good at making difficult saves, but failing to complete the most simplest of tasks, like grabbing a ball with no real pressure.

Clinton Maxwell continued to show signs of genius, some lovely touches and passing almost creating a chance, but this time Cambuslang were able to deal with it.  With 31 minutes gone, Cambuslang had their best chance so far, some lovely play from McCrae and others and finally someone just lobbed Halpin, and it would've been tapped in if not for Harkins clearing off the line, a wonderful piece of defending from oor captain.

A couple of minutes later, Paul Brown wonderfully controls the ball, and he was unmarked as well.  Just before he can shoot, though, Halpin shot out of his goal to deny a shooting chance.  He got injured in the process, but it was an important save to keep the scores tied.  This would turn out to be the last chance of the half, and Clydebank were relieved to go in on half time tied.  So after 45 minutes, the score was:

CLYDEBANK 0-0 CAMBUSLANG RANGERS

The first half seemed to me to be as what could be expected on paper - Cambuslang looked more lively, they kept passing it around fluidly and were the better side in the first half.  They don't call it a game of two halves for nothing!  While they passed it around with style and accuracy, we went and opted for the "Hit it and hope" tactic of just hammering it up for Hailstones and Maxwell to get on to.

The second half kicked off a good seven minutes late, and some good play from Clydebank eventually saw Maxwell get fouled.  Martin Feeni received a booking for this.  No chance was made from the free kick.

Once again, Cambuslang threatened, and from their only corner of the day Brian Harkins got injured.  Amazingly, he got up and blocked a shot, before falling down again.  He was able to continue, fortunately.

On 55 minutes Sean Brady received a sore kick to the head, and from this free kick a corner was won.  Hailstones swung it in for Mick Fallen to power in a header, but Rowan made a superb save to deny today's man of the match.  A good strong, low header was met with Rowan's best piece of goalkeeping all day.

Just before the hour, Ryan Waddell made a great run and was hacked down.  No chance made from the resulting free kick, but some wonderful play from the midfield maestro.  Then Clydebank made a change, Clinton Maxwell making way for Derek Readie after 60 minutes.

Before I go on, I just have to say that after Cambuslang dominated the first half, Clydebank showed great BOUNCEBACKABILITY to have a much better second half.

OK, I got that out of the way, now back to business.  Mark Hailstones on the right wing just powered into the box and cut the ball across to Sean Brady, I have NO idea what he was doing that far up but I ain't complaining!  He knocked in the shot and Rowan got something on it, but couldn't keep it out of the goal.  I and about 350+ others were going crazy (yes, there was a strong turn-out from Cambuslang fans) and the score was now Clydebank 1-0 Cambuslang Rangers, after 63 minutes.

Clydebank fans were still celebrating when Cambuslang hit back with what was their best chance of the game, a low, hard shot was driven in from distance and a Cambuslang player deflected it from a mere few yards out.  Halpin's reactions were unbelievable, using his legs to block what would've been a goal which probably would've been the beginning of the end for Clydebank.

Cambuslang, determined to get back into the match, made a substitution.  The impressive Alan McCrae, who had some glorious touches and passes throughout, making way for Paul Graham on 71 minutes.  Three minutes later Clydebank made their second change, Joe Allison coming on for Des Kelly.  Then with 10 minutes to go Clydebank made their final change, Michael Tolland replacing John McIntyre.

After this change, instead of Hailstones moving into midfield and Tolland up-front, something happened that disappointed Bankies fans - they were playing really defensively, almost like Scotland under Craig Brown's leadership.  We had 5 at the back, 4 in midfield (with Hailstones now there as well, and Tolland) and Derek Readie up front, all alone.  Mick Fallen volleyed the ball from his own half, and it was on target!  Rowan saved it, but what an effort!

Cambuslang made a change on 83 minutes, Gary Young coming on for William Holmes.  After that, Cambuslang bombarded the Clydebank midfield and defence (they were all playing together, practically in the penalty box!) with countless attacks, but each time Clydebank charged the shots down, and hammered it away to Derek Readie, who lost posession and Cambuslang attacked again relentlessly, and this kept on repeating and repeating until 88 minutes, when Clydebank caught out Cambuslang.  Joe Allison was on the right hand wing, and played keepy-up.  He then skinned the defender and made his way into the penalty box.  He made some space for himself and unleashed a powerful shot, which whacked aff the crossbar.  Then Tolland got the ball and while we cried for him just to whack it in, he tried turning this way and that to make space.  But he ran out of play with it, and the chance was gone.  Pure class, though, from Allison.

Jamie McCarrol got booked in injury time for dissent, I believe.  He wouldn't shut up over the ref's decision and the referee finally got bored of it and booked him.  And the final say went to Joe Allison, shooting from the half-way line his shot goes wide of goal.  Unlucky Beckham!  The referee blew for full time, and the final score at Glenhead Park was:

CLYDEBANK 1-0 CAMBUSLANG RANGERS

In-depth Analysis

Well, we once again beat a team in a higher division than us.  But unlike our game with Johnstone Burgh, THIS was a challenge!

Cambuslang Rangers have had bad luck with injuries lately, the three stand-out players who were injured were Graham Doak, Gary McGregor (both defenders) and Derek Carmichael (midfielder/forward).  Paul Brown, the number 9 for them, had only played 2 whole matches (180 minutes) all season, and his lack of match fitness did show.  And I think Lang fans knew it wasn't going to be their day when Brown missed that sitter in the opening seconds...

Best part of Clydebank today was the defence, our defence is amazing!  I ain't gonna hide it with fancy words, these guys deserve a free drink from Bankies fans cos they been phenomenol today!  Hell, the whole team was great but our strongest area is defence and today, that showed.

We defeated a team 1 division above us.  They weren't firing on all cylinders, but then again neither were we.  I'll be honest about the first half, when the ref blew for half time I was thinking "Maybe we AREN'T ready for the Super-league".  Thankfully, this was proven wrong by the second half performance.  We ARE ready to compete in the Super Leagues, if not winning then at least we give some challenging performances to opposition sides.  We're now through to the third round of the West of Scotland Cup, hopefully we won't be given ANOTHER team in a higher division.  We might get a reputation as the "Giant Killers"...

My man of the match: Mark Hailstones

C'mon the Bankies!