As Hurricane Bawbag II: This Time There's Snow howled round the eaves of Dungroanin' yesterday afternoon, I was nursing a hangover, having been at my office Xmas party the previous evening.
Crawling into my bed in an Aberdeen hotel at 4am, then waking four hours later and dragging my festering corpse home was not ideal preparation for anything beyond curling into a small ball and dying as quietly as possible.
Coupled with the fact that Mrs Wife and the Jocklings are away for the weekend, and I was therefore afforded peace and quiet to suffer, I surprised myself by deciding to leave the cozy house and let the wind carry me to the Basinside Bernabeu.
(My sorry condition yesterday also explains why I am writing this at 1pm on Sunday afternoon - I've just had 12 hours' unbroken sleep for the first time in three years).
Anyway, perched at the top of the concrete shed that masquerades as the stand at Links Park, it quickly became apparent that Montrose were in for a tough afternoon. The first half saw them facing not only the 11 Clyde players, but also Hurricane Bawbag II itself, as they attempted to play against the wind and rain.
Surprisingly, they worked out fairly quickly that long balls would be a no-no, and attempted to pass their way around the brillo pad.
But Clyde looked the better side, Stuart McKenzie and Luke Johnston - Montrose's new loan signing from current Best Team In The World Ever, Dundee United - keeping their opponents at bay with a series of saves and blocks.
However, Clyde finally moved ahead on the half hour mark, Kevin Watt poking home from a corner as the Montrose defenders watched in wonder.
Scott Ferguson doubled the lead two minutes later, heading over McKenzie from a McDonald cross.
Insult was added to injury two minutes before half time when Ross McCord was shown a straight red card. I didn't see the incident, so can only assume he shoved or punched someone in the Clyde wall as he attempted to take a free kick.
The second half was a quiet affair, Clyde happy to sit in against their 10 opponents, and Montrose unable to find a way past them. Garry Wood came closest for Montrose, sending a half volley inches wide from a McNally cross.
The result leaves Montrose in sixth place in the table, outside the playoff places only on goal difference, and seven points behind top of the table Clyde in a division where only 10 points separate top and second bottom.
Man of the match: A tough shift for the home side, especially after McCord's dismissal. McKenzie again looked comfortable in goals, and could do little with either goal.
I actually thought that, aside from the five minute spell surrounding the goals, that the Montrose defence looked fairly comfortable, particularly the centre backs, Alan Campbell and Luke Johnston. I'll go with Campbell for man of the match, as he kept his head and consistently looked for a pass rather than hammering the ball hopelessly into the wind.
No comments:
Post a Comment