Match Report

MATCH REPORT

Clyde v Stenhousemuir at Broadwood, Cumbernauld on 13.01.18

SPFL Ladbrokes League Two             Att 581

Clyde 0 Stenhousemuir 3 [Meechan 11, Longworth 72, Murray 82]

Clyde – Currie, Home, Stewart[Lowdon 51], McNiff, Lang [Lamont 76], Ramsay [b85], Duffie [b52], Nicoll, Millar [Osodolar 76], Goodwillie and Love. Subs not used – Cuddihy, Brown, Gormley and Fahey.

Stenhousemuir – Smith, Meecchan, M.Dunlop, R.Dunlop, Donaldson, Marsh [b89], McGuigan, Ferry, Scott [Longworth 55], Murray [Halleran 85] and Cook [Ferns 75]. Subs not used – Gilmour, Paterson, McMinn and McMenamin.

Referee – Duncan Williams   Assistants – Jordan Stokoe and Paul Timmons

After the defeat to Peterhead the previous week Brown Ferguson was hoping for a positive reaction from his squad and he would have been happy with a professional performance that saw the Warriors pick up a deserved three points.

There was one enforced change to the starting eleven with Harry Paton being recalled by Hearts and this meant that Innes Murray was given his first start to show what he could do and he took the opportunity well scoring and creating a goal. Towards the end of the game Thomas Halleran made his league debut for the Warriors.

Clyde had been struggling in the build- up to the game and they gave Aaron Millar his first start for the club. He came closest to scoring after eight minutes when he saw an attempt from close range blocked and this gave Chris Smith the easiest of chances to gather. Three minutes later the Warriors took the lead through a sweetly struck effort that flew into the net after he struck a loose ball past Blair Currie on the half volley. The keeper could do nothing about that effort but he almost blotted his copybook in the 21^st minute when he spilled a Mary Ferry long range effort but no once was able to take advantage.

The home side had another let off when they were caught napping at a quick corner in which Alan Cook and Murray combined but the latter shot into the side net.

Clyde weren’t creating too many opportunities and the closest that they came to creating anything was through a long range Darren Ramsay effort that was comfortably saved by Smith.

The second period had just started when Clyde were forced into a substitution but they almost turned it to their advantage at substitute Jordan Lowdon read a David Goodwillie back heel that set him free and his cross to Ally Love was hit into the side netting by the striker. This was the first time that Clyde had really opened up the Warriors defence. Stenhousemuir responded positively and Ferry was unlucky to see a shot deflected wide by Callum Home and this was followed by a David Marsh strike that was saved by Currie before Jamie Longworth, himself a sub, dragged a shot wide after creating an opening for himself.

There was always a feeling that Stenhousemuir might regret these missed chances and Clyde really should have equalised in the 71^st minute when a long kick by Currie somehow set Goodwillie free but a uncharacteristic heavy touch saw the danger disappear.

The Warriors then made the most of their let off by scoring their second within a minute of the miss when a Murray cross was sclaffed by Home to Longworth who took full advantage to tuck the ball home. The Warriors extended their lead even further in the 82^nd minute when a Mark McGuigan pass split the home defence wide open and Murray judged his run perfectly before dispatching the ball home.

This was a hard working victory against a team that Stenhousemuir had failed to shake off in the previous two encounters when had ended in draws despite Stenhousemuir having had the best of the play and hopefully augers well for future games.