Berwick v Clydebank Match Report – 25-26
Berwick suffered a 2-1 loss to Clydebank after conceding two penalties to the visitors at Shielfield Park.
The Gers took the lead on fifteen minutes after Nicky Low put the ball in his own net. Nicky Little scored from the spot midway through the first half for Clydebank. The visitors’ second penalty of the game was scored by Neil McLaughlin fifteen minutes from the end to see out a Clydebank win.
The visitors began the game on top as a long ball found McLaughlin. His lay-off found Kieran Dolan and his curling effort went just wide.
Berwick began to grow into the game as Caelan McCrone made a terrific run down the right-hand side. His low cross caused havoc in the Clydebank box as Low failed to deal with it. His attempted clearance saw the ball roll into his own net. The Dream Team with the lead after fifteen minutes.
Five minutes later, Low looked to make amends for his own goal as he stepped over a free-kick just outside the box. His effort looped over the wall but went just wide.
Just before the half-hour mark, Oisin McHugh skipped past Alfie Robinson before driving into the box on the left-hand side. The Clydebank winger was then bundled to the ground by Robinson and the referee pointed to the spot. Little stepped up and struck his penalty into the top right corner to level the score once again.
Moments later and Clydebank nearly turned the game around when Dolan received another long ball before laying the ball off to Little. The goalscorer nearly scored another, but his looped shot went over the bar.
Berwick survived another chance right at the end of the first half. A long throw caused chaos in the Gers box as the ball eventually broke to Dean Cairns. His left-footed effort was well saved by the onrushing Liam Campbell. The two sides were level at half-time.
Clydebank began the second half on top once again as a long ball caused more problems for Berwick’s backline. Owen Stott’s long kick sent McLaughlin through on goal. He got past Campbell to leave himself with an open net. However, his shot somehow came back off the post. His rebound then hit the side netting as McLaughlin spurned a huge opportunity for the visitors to take the lead.
Berwick looked to respond with a long ball forward of their own as Danny Handling did well to take the ball down. He then laid the ball off to Ben McCrystal whose shot went well over the bar.
The Dream Team continued their momentum as McCrystal’s cross picked out Mikey Mbewe at the back post. The winger opted for an audacious overhead kick, and he made nice contact and forced a block out of Chris McGowan.
As the game entered the final fifteen minutes, a Clydebank corner saw Robinson miskick his clearance straight to David Syme. However, the centre-half somehow missed the target from five yards out as Clydebank wasted another great opportunity.
A minute later and McLauglin capitalised on a loose ball in the Berwick box. The winger tripped over Jamie Pyper and the referee awarded another penalty to the visitors. This decision was certainly a questionable one with Pyper not seemingly instigating the contact with McLaughlin. It was McLaughlin who took the penalty and he slotted it into the bottom left corner to complete the Clydebank turnaround.
Clydebank’s second goal knocked the stuffing out of the Gers as they struggled to gain any momentum to push to get level again. The visitors nearly added a third five minutes from the end as James Grant’s volley deflected into the path of Lee Gallacher. His shot rolled wide of Campbell’s goal.
Clydebank saw out a 2-1 win that lifts them to second in the Lowland League table. Berwick remain in 12th place. The Gers are back in league action once again at Shielfield Park next Saturday, as they host Albion Rovers.