BANKIES MARCH INTO QUARTERS

Published 5 May 2010 09:00 0 Comments

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CELEBRATIONS: The Bankies players congratulate match-winning captain Gary Lynn

CLYDEBANK kept their Central League Cup dreams alive with a narrow win against St Anthony's on Monday night.

A goal from skipper Gary Lynn 10 minutes from time was all that separated the sides in a poor match.

Budgie McGhie rested key players from last Saturday's win at Annbank with one eye on tonight's league clash with promotion rivals Renfrew.

The Bankies boss gave another start to young keeper Liam Campbell and brought in midfield duo Stevie Blair and Scott Marshall.

But it was one of the stars of Saturday's win that produced one of the few moments of quality in a dire first half.

Mark Hailstones pounced on a loose ball 30 yards out before smashing a right foot shot goalwards that portly keeper Alan Prosser parried wide.

Fifty-year-old Prosser was drafted in at the last minute for the Ants who had a keeper crisis to deal with, but the Bankies rarely put him under any pressure.

At the other end, Campbell produced a smart save to deny Gary Dickson as St Anthony's threatened the home goal.

But this was poor fare and the fans saw little in the way of quality from either team.

Chris Mackie came close to opening the scoring midway through the second half with an overhead kick that beat Prosser, but it drifted wide.

McGhie introduced Brian Smith and Stevie Dymock for Blair and Marshall in a bid to make the breakthrough as the tie drifted towards a penalty shoot-out decider. Smith's pace was telling and within seconds of his introduction a burst to the bye-line saw him deliver an excellent back post cross.

Mackie, who toiled as a lone forward until the substitutions, found a spark to his game when he was paired with the energetic Dymock for the closing stages.

The big striker won a free kick wide on the right which led to the winning goal.

Lynn and Hailstones stood over the ball before the skipper swung over a left foot delivery that beat the Ants defence and crept in at the back post.

Campbell was called into action five minutes from time when he bravely blocked a Dickson shot.

The save ensured victory and another clean sheet in three matches for the local lad, who has made an impressive step up from under-21 football.

Clydebank can now look forward to a quarter final match in the tournament for the first time. But McGhie's men will put the cup on the back burner for the next two weeks as they chase the much bigger prize of promotion.

After tonight's clash with Renfrew, the Bankies travel to Cumnock on Saturday before hosting Kilsyth on Monday and East Kilbride next Wednesday.

This article appeared in Clydebank Post 05 May 10

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