Vale of Clyde 3-2 Clydebank

Clydebank were defeated by Vale of Clyde, who used every dirty trick possible for winning a game.  It worked for them, and with the help of the referee, caused the Bankies' chances of progressing to the quarter finals to just about end.

Clydebank played a 3-5-2 formation, and Budgie was trying to combine a strong-looking team with experimenting with positions.  Notible players were Sean Brady as a Central Defender, Joe Allison switching to right midfield after Trialist B came on and the partnership of Hailstones and Maxwell up front.  The idea of 2 forwards who are speedy-but-small was interesting to see how it'd work, as it's usually 1 talk striker, to win in the air, and 1 speedy striker, to run through on goal and beat defenders.  Here's how the team lined up:

1) Paul Halpin
2) Graeme Dempsey
3) John McIntyre
4) Mick Fallen
5) Sean Brady
6) Jon Crawford
7) Joe Allison
8) Mark McGuire
9) Mark Hailstones
10) Ryan Waddell (C)
11) Clinton maxwell

SUBS

12) Brian Harkins
13) David Simeon
14) Trialist A
15) Trialist B
16) Stephen Mehigan

The game started off quietly, but errily quickly.  After a quick 15 minutes, the first real chance of the match fell to big Rab's fav player Clinton Maxwell, but his shot was easily saved.  Clydebank started very well, and it looked as though it was going to be a great game for the Bankies.

Right after this chance, Vale of Clyde ran up the pitch and won a free kick in a dangerous position.  It was well hit, with plenty of swerve, but Halpin was ready for it and saved.

On 19 minutes, a wonderful long, diagonal pass from Joe Allison, on his first game of the season, found Maxwell, who controlled wonderfully, but the keeper saved it and it went wide for a corner.  From the resulting corner which was swung in by Hailstones, Crawford was unlucky with a header, which went over the bar.

Clydebank's best chance of the match so far fell to Graeme Dempsey after 25 minutes, after John McIntyre flighted in a wonderful free-kick into the box.  It bobbled about, and broke to Dempsey, who's controlled shot hit of the wrong side of the post and out for a goal kick.

Clydebank piled on the pressure, but no other chance was created until the 38th minute when a mazy Maxwell run and a cross eventually settled for a very attack-minded Crawford, who's volley went over the bar.

This was followed by an Allison free-kick that was comfortably saved from the big Vale of Clyde goalkeeper.  But the keeper could do nothing a couple of minutes later when a cross from the left was missed by everyone, but Graeme Dempsey picked it up and swung in a cross for Maxwell, who flicked a header past the helpless keeper to make it Vale of Clyde 0-1 Clydebank, after 41 minutes.

It should've been 2-0 to Clydebank a couple of minutes later, when some silky skill from Hailstones opened up a chance for Crawford, right in front of goal.  His shot though was sliced wide, and Clydebank's joint Player of the Year shows why he prefers heading the ball.

During near the end of the first half, Sean Brady received an elbow to the nose, which went unpenialised, and left him bloodied open.  The latest fashion craze of shoving cotton wool up your nose was in effect, and he shook off the effects of the attack.

As half time drew near, Vale of Clyde started threatening, and actually created a chance.  The shot, though, went so far over that the payment of the new ball is coming out of his wages.

Half time blew, and David Simeon took his place in goal for the half-time entertainment.  He wasn't on top form tonight, though, and should stick to being a striker.  The half time score was:

VALE OF CLYDE 0-1 CLYDEBANK

The second half was dismal for Clydebank, and it's when the match really livened up.  Brace yourself...

For the first 15 minutes of the second half, Clydebank had a couple of poor efforts from Waddell and Hailstones, while Vale of Clyde came really close to scoring, missing a sitter from a header and a shot from a long ball over the defence well saved by Halpin.

60 min: SUB - Mark McGuire OFF, Trialist A ON

After this change, Clydebank's luck started to turn for the worse.  On 63 minutes, a high ball hit up the park was heading for the Bankies back line, and the Vale of Clyde striker was backing into Crawford.  The referee must've misjudged this for Crawford pulling the striker down, and gave a penalty for Vale of Clyde and booking Crawford.  The penalty was converted, sending Halpin the wrong way and the score was now Vale of Clyde 1-1 Clydebank, after 63 minutes.

A few minutes later, the Vale of Clyde number 3 received a booking, and the fans were expecting Clydebank to start taking a hold of the match again.  But Vale of Clyde shocked the Bankies crowd by going into the lead, the ball agonisingly hit past a helpless Halpin to send the Vale of Clyde players and support into a state of hyper happyness, and the score was now Vale of Clyde 2-1 Clydebank, after 68 minutes.

Clydebank were still reeling from going behind when the Vale of Clyde number 12 beat the offside trap (He WAS onside, I was unfortunately on line with it ) and he finished well, and the score was now Vale of Clyde 3-1 Clydebank, after 70 minutes.

75 min: SUB - Trialist B ON, Graeme Dempsey OFF

Joe Allison moved into Dempsey's old position, while Trialist B made himself at home in Allison's old position.

Right after this change was made, Clydebank won a penalty thanks to a Vale of Clyde defender holding down a Clydebank player in the box, and Bankies fans had mixed reactions over the decision.  Sure, getting a penalty is one of the best ways for a team to score, but Clydebank have had a bad run of taking penalties - I believe it's hit 4 and missed 4, since Harkie's miss away to Forth.  But Hailstones stepped up to take it, and he hit it low past the keeper into the bottom right hand corner, to make it Vale of Clyde 3-2 Clydebank, after 75 minutes.

And their goalkeeper was booked for kicking the ball away after the penalty was scored.

Just as Clydebank seemed to be getting back into the match, Jon Crawford receives a 2nd booking for a rash challenge, and was sent off after 78 minutes.

With this happening, Brady moved into Crawford's position, and McIntyre moved into Brady's old position that he just left.  Clydebank were now playing a 3-4-2 formation.

Mark Hailstones tried to save the game for Clydebank, but panic set in to the team and his shot was over the bar.  We whacked inaccurate balls up the park, and they were going out of play and not helping at all.

With a minute of regulation time to go, John McIntyre received a straight red card, I believe it was for a kick to a player's mid-section after he attempted to whack the ball away after conceding the free kick himself.  Confused?  Fine, Vale of Clyde concede free kick, they try to timewaste - WHACK by John McIntyre.  He didn't mean to, he was trying to stop the ball.  But the referee saw this as dangerous play and sent Clydebank down to 9 men.

Past 90 minutes, and Clydebank win a free-kick in a good position.  But Hailstones curls it past the post, and the referee blew the whistle to end the game, and many Bankies fans were waiting to hurl abuse at the referee.  The full time score at Fullarton Park was:

VALE OF CLYDE 3-2 CLYDEBANK

In-depth analysis

It was a strong side that was fielded, and yet Budgie was still trying to experiment, which he has every right to do.  The first half went like a dream, with the only problems being that WE CAN'T TAKE OUR CHANCES!  The second half was a nightmare, with dodgy refereeing, dirty tactics from the Vale of Clyde players and management and dismissals for Clydebank defenders McIntyre and Crawford.

So what went wrong?  Well, for starters, even though playing 3 at the back worked well for most of the first half, I still believe we need a back 4.

Moving up the park, our midfield was playing way too deep in the 2nd half, with only Waddell pushing forward regulary.  In the first half, Allison and Waddell were attacking well, and Dempsey pushed forward as well, and McIntyre and McGuire were more defensive, and it looked great.  In the 2nd half, Only Waddell, as said earlier, was actually up the park.

Up front, we have 2 quality players, who have great pace and skill.  Clinton, though, is not a striker, he's a winger, and a damn good one at that.  He had a good chance early on in the match, and a proper striker would've took it.  But his shot was right at the goalkeeper, and the chance was lost.  And Hailstones...well, only complaint I can think of is his over-eagerness to keep the ball, and do everything himself.

Here's a diagram of runs made and positions players got into (especially for Waddell):

There was no stand-out player, for me.  There IS a man of the match award, but it's not going to anyone who actually played.  Man of the Bench award goes to Simeon, for his half-time saves.

BUT if you insist on me choosing anyone...Brady didn't have a bad match.  He didn't screw up, but he didn't create anything with those long throws either.  And McGuire was good until he was substituted, and not long after he came off it all started to fall apart.  And one more player would be Allison.  His first match of the season, and he produced great passes and still has a good touch of the ball.  So there's 3 for you, choose yourself.

Attendance: about 150-200.