Match Report - By Steven Mew

Brechin welcomed Clyde to Glebe Park this afternoon who have made an excellent start to the season under Graham Roberts and Joe Miller, despite the major change in personnel over the summer. The squad did have some teething problems at the start of the season though, when City knocked the Bully Wee out of the Bell’s Cup after extra time, but in the league Clyde have done well and were sitting in 4th place before today’s clash and were five games unbeaten. Clyde have probably spent more time on the road than on the pitch this season, with them travelling to Brechin (twice), Peterhead, Dingwall, Stranraer and Montrose.

Grant Johnson was suspended after his harsh red card against St Mirren at Love Street a couple of weeks ago, while Craig McEwan had work commitments. New signing Gerry Britton started upfront along with Stevie Hampshire. The midfield consisted of Darren Smith, Ally Mitchell, Craig Winter and Stevie Ferguson while Steven Hamilton, Scott Walker, Paul Deas and Gary Bollan started in the defence with Craig Nelson between the sticks. Clyde started with a tricky attacking duo of Alex Williams and Tom Brighton, who had just returned back from Norway after representing Clyde in the Scotland U21 squad.

City started the game brightly and broke the deadlock after only four minutes. New recruit Gerry Britton made an excellent reverse pass into the path of Steven Hampshire, who made no mistake by drilling low into the net with his left foot to give City and Gerry Britton a dream start. City nearly went two goals ahead minutes later, Steven Hampshire made a dangerous run down the right hand side before playing the ball back to Ally Mitchell who whipped in a cross but Gerry Britton’s effort went straight into the hands of Paul Jarvie in the Clyde goal.

Clyde had a glorious chance to equalise at the other end. A tricky run down the left hand side from a Clyde winger ended with a cut-back going straight to the feet of Alex Williams, but the striker somehow screwed the ball wide when it looked easier to score. The Bully Wee then came close to finding the net twice; firstly a cross from the right hand side was headed wide of the goal before a shot from outside the box whistled past the post.

The game threatened to boil over after 25 minutes or so, three Brechin players were booked in the space of seven minutes and there were tackles flying in left, right and centre. However, against the run of play Brechin nearly snatched a second goal. A ball flighted from defence was flicked on by Gerry Britton into the path of Steven Hampshire, who struck powerfully towards goal but Paul Jarvie pulled off a great save and the ball went out for corner. Shortly after, Hampshire came close again, Paul Jarvie fumbled a routine catch before ‘Hammy’ slammed the ball across the face of goal when a cut-back would have been a better option.

The first half ended with Clyde in control as a mazy run from a Clyde player ended in an effort which went high and wide of the goal before the Bully Wee’s assistant manager Joe Miller was sent to the stand by referee Mike Ritchie.

Into the second half, Clyde continued to dominate and got a deserved but fortunate equaliser just a minute into the second period. A corner from the left hand side was headed out of the box by the City defence, but the ball fell for Clyde captain Paul McHale, whose powerful shot from the outside of the area went through a mass of bodies and Nelson made a rare mistake as the ball went into the back of the net.

Brechin kept plugging away however, and Darren Smith’s tricky run down the left ended in a shot by his weaker right foot which caused very little trouble for Jarvie. Gerry Britton then saw his effort end up in the stand.

City would consider themselves fortunate to be on level terms shortly after when Clyde had two glorious chances to go in front. A low, powerful shot from outside the box hit the outside of Nelly’s left hand post and the rebound was blocked by the Brechin defence and out for a corner. A nice, flowing, passing move from Clyde again nearly put them in front; the end product was a deft chip which just went past the post.

The game boiled over on the hour mark. Gerry Britton chased the ball and just as it looked to go out for a goal kick, Gerry tried to hook his foot round a Clyde defender to get a touch on the ball but instead hit the Clyde defender with his foot, who went down as if he had been shot. Neil McGregor reacted angrily and stupidly grabbed Britton by the neck and threw him down to the ground. The referee sent off Britton on his debut, which was harsh to say the least, it was reckless, but he was clearly going for the ball and caught the Clyde player by accident. The referee also dished out a red card to McGregor, which wasn’t surprising.

Clyde then went on to dominate the last half an hour or so. A shot from outside the box clearly deflected off of a Brechin player and out for a corner, but the linesman strangely signalled for a goal-kick. A cross from the left was met by a Clyde player right in front of goal, but somehow headed the ball over the bar.

City then had a chance of their own shortly after and it really should have been put away. Charlie King got past his marker and only had the keeper to beat, but struck tamely into the hands of Paul Jarvie. Ally Mitchell then tried his luck from long range but the ball bobbled just as he was about to hit it and his volley went high and wide of the goal. Paul Ritchie then came close with a header, which just went past the top right hand corner.

As the game drew to a close, Craig Nelson made amends for his earlier blunder by making two fantastic saves in the dying minutes to deny Clyde victory.

Overall, it wasn’t the best of performances by Brechin but the defence held firm to keep out an energetic Clyde strikeforce who liked to pass the ball around neatly. Positives can still be taken, Gerry Britton looked useful before he was sent off and out of five games in the league, we have only lost twice and both of those were by the odd goal. The downside however is that we still can’t put away those clear-cut chances and we are still to record a win in the league.

A tricky fixture awaits City next week as we travel to Dingwall to take on high flying Ross County.

Other Results - Bell's League Division 1

Dundee 0 Airdrie United 2

Shock of the day as Airdrie win comfortably at Dens.

Queen of the South 0 St Mirren 1

QoS's miserable start to the season continues as they lose narrowly at home to St Mirren.

St Johnstone 1 Ross County 1

Scoring draw at McDiarmid Park between Saints and County.

Stranraer 1 Hamilton Academical 2

Two early goals give Hamilton victory.