Clydebank 3-2 Vale of Leven

Clydebank earned 3 points against a rough Vale of Leven team in the first league match of season 2004-2005, in front of a crowd of 574.

Both sides lined up with 4-4-2 formations, but Clydebank started out with a unique 4-1-3-2 formation, Des Kelly playing the role of defensive midfielder.  His urge to push forward, though, meant that Joe Allison soon made space for him in centre midfield, and it was a flat 4-4-2.  Here's how the teams lined up:

The game had a hectic start, and with only 3 minutes gone Mick Fallen received a booking for bringing down a Vale player on the edge of his own box.  The resulting free kick saw no real chance created.

It was Vale of Leven who started the better side, but Clydebank were determined to be more than a match for them.  Clinton Maxwell had a shot blocked on 8 minutes, but it was promising stuff from the Bankies.

It was Clinton Maxwell again who caused problems for the Vale defence on 15 minutes, but his cross was intercepted from a well-aware Dennison.  The Vale responded to this by slicing a shot wide of Meghi's left hand post.  And Clydebank responded to THIS a minute later by coming closest to scoring, a Hailstones pass through to Del Readie, but the keeper done enough to prevent a goal.

The Vale had a corner on 21 minutes, which was headed wide.  Not that many chances were being created, but as always the match would certainly liven up in the second half.

Still in the first half, Joe Allison had a shot charged down by the Vale defence, and from the resulting corner Brady headed wide of goal.  Clydebank were too on form in defence, blocking a barrage of consecutive shots from the rampant Vale of Leven attackers.  Clydebank survived this strong wave of pressure.

Clydebank newbie Des Kelly, on his official debut as a Bankies player, showed some promise 10 minutes from half time when he turned his man and got a shot in, which was well saved from Dennison.  A couple of minutes later, he had another shot deflect wide for a corner kick, which resulted in a spell of pressure from Clydebank, and eventually after another corner, it was cleared away.

Time for a moment of magic, from Clydebank's newest player.  Des Kelly picked the ball up from the halfway line, burst forward towards the Vale defence, turned a man and then fired a left-footed shot into the keeper's top left hand corner from 25 yards out.  An amazing moment for the youngster, making the score Clydebank 1-0 Vale of Leven, after 39 minutes.

This goal saw Vale of Leven come to life, and pushed forward for a goal before half time.  A volley was smashed in, but it was comfortably saved by Meghi, who then punted the ball up the pitch for Clinton Maxwell to round the keeper, but the defender did remarkably well to deny him a goal.

Disaster struck on the stroke of half time, when an Alan Brown flighted free kick saw Meghi commit himself to win the ball.  But Brian Wardle beat him in the air, and headed it towards an empty net, to make it Clydebank 1-1 Vale of Leven, after 45 minutes.

The ref blew for half time right after the restart, and Clydebank were wondering if they could produce a win in the second half.  So the half time score was:

CLYDEBANK 1-1 VALE OF LEVEN

Clydebank started positively in the 2nd half, Des Kelly looking to add another goal to his debut in the opening minute of the second half.  Some good skill on the left saw a chance being created, but his shot from a tight angle was saved from the on-form Dennison.

With 5 minutes into the second half gone, it seemed as if Clydebank were going to take control of the match.  Mark Hailstones done well down the right hand wing, and produced a cross for Waddell, whose header sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.

Clydebank rallied on, looking to go into the lead once again.  Crawford was influential in 2 chances in 2 minutes, first his sliced shot found Readie, who stuck a leg out hoping to divert it towards goal.  But unfortunately, his shot was flicked wide of goal.  And then a minute later, Crawford had a header saved.

Right from this chance for Clydebank, Vale of Leven come within inches of scoring.  Mehigan once again has a howler, when failing to get the ball when coming out to get it.  Vale of Leven striker should really score, but a miraculous block from Sinky Soutar denies him a goal, and the scoreline remains even.

With 5 minutes before the hour mark, a few chances were created, a Joe Allison shot was well saved, Des Kelly fired a shot well over and Vale of Leven also fire a shot over the bar.

Clydebank by now were wanting to gain a grip of the match, and won a corner.  It was flighted in perfectly for Crawford, whose header was flicked in by a Vale of Leven defender.  Harkie read it out as both Crawford's goal, and then said it was an own goal.  What does he know?!?  I know that it's only an own goal if the shot was off target in the first place, and the opposing team hit it into their own net from that.  Crawford's header was on target, so I give the goal to him.  And he gave Clydebank the lead, to make it Clydebank 2-1 Vale of Leven, after 61 minutes.

Vale of Leven again pushed for an equaliser, and they had a free kick on 64 minutes.  Fortunately for Clydebank, it was easily saved by the nearly-mauled Mehigan.  (if you're confused, look at player performance section, I'll explain there!)

65 min: SUB - Joe Allison OFF, Graeme Dempsey ON.  This change saw Dempsey and Hailstones swap places, and Hailstones had a more central role while still pushing down the right of the pitch.  After this substitution was made, Vale of Leven attack again, but the volley sailed over the bar.

Des Kelly came within inches of making it 3-1 after 68 minutes, taking a shot well in the air from 20 yards out, but it just went wide of the post.  He wasn't happy with this, as the expression on his face showed.

Right, here comes the controversial bits:

Dempsey runs down the right wing in his own half, and the ball touches the line, but THE WHOLE BALL DOES NOT GO OUT OF PLAY.  The referee acknowledges this, and let's play continue...

...until a late flag from the stand-in Vale of Leven linesman made the referee change his mind.  That's the first mistake, since when did the referee let the other team make up their minds?!?  If our linesman had done it, I'd have felt a bit guilty, really.  It stayed in play, the referee had DECIDED that.

From this throw-in, Alan Brown picks up the ball from 20 yards, and with his right foot smashed it past Meghi into the top corner.  A wonderful strike, but it came from a throw-in that never was.  Vale of Leven's reaction to this amazing goal was to totally stick it in the face of the fans, which brought about unsavoury incidents.  The crowd were wound up big-time, but what happened next was just wrong.

It is said that a rock was thrown at "Shug".  Dunno if this is a nick-name for their manager, but apparently, "Shug" proceeded to fight back against the fan, and apparently decked him.  I couldn't see what was going on, all hell broke loose after the goal went in, and I was too busy watching their number 6 being restrained by a team-mate.  Order was soon restored, and so the score was Clydebank 2-2 Vale of Leven, after 70 minutes.

Derek Readie and Clinton Maxwell played a delightful 1-2, and Del was through on goal.  His shot was mis-hit, though, and it slowly went wide of goal.  It was a great chance to re-take the lead, wasted after 73 minutes.

Between 75 and 80 minutes, all that happened was 2 substitutions:

75 min: SUB - Clinton Maxwell OFF, Paul Wilson ON

80 min: SUB - Derek Readie OFF, Michael Tolland ON

Vale of Leven were holding on for a 2-2 draw, and it looked like it would end that way - UNTIL Mark Hailstones poked the ball into the right hand corner of the net, sending the Bankies fans into a frenzied state of joy.  It was now Clydebank 3-2 Vale of Leven, after 90 minutes.

Vale of Leven were now rattled, they had no reply to this.  The referee blew the whistle, and the match ended:

CLYDEBANK 3-2 VALE OF LEVEN

In-depth Analysis

As soon as I saw Vale of Leven run out, there seemed to be a lot of old players in the squad, compared to our team which consisted of a good few young legs.  With experience at the back, skill in midfield and height, pace and youth up front, we always seemed like we'd last longer in the fight for the victory.

Mehigan in goal was a surprise for me, as I thought Budgie had a rotation system in place, with one match each for Halpin and Meghi.  In defence, also, the inclusion of Soutar over Dempsey was another surprise (for me, anyway), but it paid off.

In midfield, Des Kelly was phenomenol.  Ryan Waddell was, as always, slow on the ball, but made up for it several times with his trickery and skill.  Hailstones down the right was great, and Joe Allison had a relatively quiet match, concentrating on not being as attack-minded as usual.

Up front, Readie and Maxwell.  Height and pace.  And they have 1 thing in common - they can't seem to be able to take their chances.  Well, Readie has that problem more than Maxwell, but Readie will have to be able to handle the pressure better if he wants to remain in the starting line-up.  He choked under pressure against Vale of Leven today, and if not for a last-minute goal from Hailstones, we may have went on to rue that missed chance.

Here's the runs made by the Clydebank players:

Clydebank deserved the win, in the end.  It was a close game, marred by controvery, but in the end I feel the right result was a Bankies victory.  A hectic start to the season, and Jim O'Donnell must be eating his words, saying we'd get a reality check.

Bring on the Yoker!!!

Man of the Match: Des Kelly