Sunday, 6 February 2011

Day Thirty Three: Clyde (Broadwood Stadium)




Clyde v Annan Athletic
Saturday 5th February
Scottish Division 3


It's a big day today not only will this take us down to single figures on the grounds left to visit but I've also to try and keep schtum on the surprise 70th birthday party being thrown for my dad after the game.

Emma drops me off at my folks house early doors as she's got to rush back as her old boy is heading to ours with his tool belt to fix a few things in the flat. Cheers Alan.

We make the drive over to Cumbernauld and enjoy the On the Ball show on BBC Radio Scotland. This weeks question is What type of pet do personalities in Scottish football have? The best answer we heard was Derek Riordhan has a pet seal, as neither of them like clubs.


We pull in to park at the stadium just before 2pm. We're informed that you can't park in the car park on match day. My dad and I can't quite figure this out, why have a car park that you can't park in. Anyway we're redirected to another car park on the other side of the ground. When we get there we're charged £2 for the privilege, although this includes a free entry into the half time draw.


Clyde sacked their Head Coach in mid week as a run of 2 wins in 14 matches left them twelve points adrift at the bottom of Division 3. They'll be hoping that Assistant Head Coach Gordon Wylde will have the winning touch today.


We make our way into the ground after the pre-match photo and trip to the club shop so my dad can buy his pin badge. We decide to buy a pie before we take our seat in the hope that we can't possibly have a third dud pie in three matches. First of all I'm pleased to discover that we're not having to pay an over inflated £2 like we have at the last two grounds. Secondly it actually tastes as it should unlike the horror show from Livingston.

We take our seat almost on the half way line and tuck in. It's a massive step forward from mid-week but still only a six out of ten according to my dad.

The game kicks off and the first five or so minutes are a non event with both teams cancelling the other out. The first effort on goal comes from a free kick, it must be a full thirty five yard effort from Annan's Bryan Gilfillan but it's straight down the throat of the keeper.

There is more noise coming from the pitch than there is from the stand and with all of us sitting on the one side of the stand it's difficult to see if there are any away fans at the game.

The game is being played at a pedestrian pace and it's fifteen minutes before we get another effort on goal but it's a weak effort from an Annan Athletic.

The first goal is a horror show for the Clyde fans. First of all the keeper doesn't let his defender know to leave the cross as there is no danger, then the right back - trialist Gary Brown from Kilmarnock - knocks it back toward the goal. It's a poor touch but one the keeper J C Hutchinson should have tipped over the bar. Instead he only managed to push it up in the air, he then dropped it as it came back down right at the feet of Sean O'Connor who, from one yard out, could not miss.

According to a Clyde fan behind us the 'keeper is a fucking dumpling!'

Clyde's left back Neil McGowan tried his luck from just outside the box but his left foot drive is deflected over the bar.

Thirty five minutes in and Hutchinson made small amends for earlier with a brave diving save at the feet of David Cox.

Minutes later Cox fell over under a very light challenge in the box and takes his time getting up, a fan in the stand screams out What's wrong big fella, have you ripped your tights?'.

It takes until just before half time for Clyde to get their first shot on target but McCusker sees his shot saved easily.

At half time I venture down for another pie and whilst I'm down there I hear the half time draw results. If we'd been one car earlier into the car park I would know be the proud owner of signed Clyde football.

The second half starts.

Five minutes into the second half and we witness the miss of the season from ex-Clyde player Iain Harty. Good work on the right wing by Cox leads to a delicious ball across the six yard box, Harty finds himself all alone with an empty net in front of him and he somehow hit it over the bar.

Clyde start to play with a little more purpose and direction and it's the trialist Brown who makes a succession of long runs with the ball into the oppositions half. There is little end product however.

McCusker hits a left foot free kick around the wall but into the side netting ten minutes into the half.

The linesman makes friends with the home fans when flagging for a soft challenge on an Annan player. A boy behind us shouts You're going to cost us the title linesman. It's good to see even down at the bottom of the league that humour still exists.

With twenty five minutes left to play Harty makes up for his previous miss when he scores his sides second. His right foot shot is blocked on the edge of the box, but he is first to the rebound and he strokes a great left foot shot into the bottom corner.

Gilfillan should have made it three minutes later when after a series of passes he found himself in space inside the box but the keeper rushed out to save with his feet.

At this point a bloke behind us comments that he's glad there isn't relegation from Division 3 other wise they would be a shoe in for it.

The remaining minutes peter out and when the final whistle comes my dad and I agree that Clyde deserve to be in the position they are as they are the worst side we've seen this season.

So after seven months we're down to the final nine grounds to visit. Next stop Falkirk a week on Saturday.

The Statistics
Ticket: Adult £10, Concession £5
Programme: £2.50
Attendance: 568
Pie: £1.50
Pie Marks: 6/10
Mileage: 72 miles
Final Score: Clyde 0 v Annan Athletic 2
Man of the Match: Dad - Iain Harty (Annan Athletic) Me - Chris Jardine (Annan Athletic)
Fascinating Fact of the Day: The Clyde View, matchday programme, won the Scottish Divisional Programme of the Year award every year between season 91/92 & 06/07.
Next Game: Falkirk




Programme: £2

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