Clydebank.......24 Strathaven...........0 CLYDEBANK upset the odds on Saturday as they defeated promotion-chasers Strathaven.

Within the first 15 minutes Clydebank were camped in the Strathaven 22-metre area and controlling the game.

However, this period was also full of the mistakes and desperation which has seen Clydebank fail to turn pressure into points in recent matches.

It took a while for Clydebank to settle and with the sin binning of a Strathaven player on 15 minutes for collapsing a maul five metres out from the try line Clydebank had the opportunity to score.

They took the chance well and in doing so they clicked back into a groove which had laid empty for a while.

A line-out on the five-metre line brought back the memories for the support as they watched Euan Cuthbert leap unchallenged into the air to gain possession.

The maul then marched to the try line with Paul Andrew in control as it crossed the line and Paul touched down for the first points. Michael Starkey stepped up for the difficult conversion and added the additional two points with a well struck kick. The Clydebank forwards proceeded to dominate the smaller Strathaven pack and set up plenty of chances for themselves and the backs to run at the Strathaven defence.

Within four minutes another attack in the corner ended with Jamie Baxter crossing the line with a pick up from the base of a ruck. Starkey once more stepped up for another difficult kick which just crossed over the bar.

Clydebank were now well and truly back to their old selves and were making the most of the depleted Strathaven numbers.

Another try came just after the half hour after David Bell made a break from his own half.

Bell was eventually stopped but had Connor Sloss in close support to carry on the attack. The covering defence closed in on Sloss who passed onto Alex Allan who crossed in the corner for another try.

Starkey missed the kick to leave the score at 19-0. Clydebank came close again with another attack but poor passing in the midfield caused the scoring opportunity to be lost. Clydebank ended the half in control and confident.

The second half would prove to be a difficult period for Clydebank as some of the recent disarray returned to haunt them.

The first 20 minutes of the half saw Strathaven come back into the match, controlling much of the ball and running the ball through their backs, although tending to run sideways rather than forwards.

Clydebank were penalised repeatedly throughout this period and lost two players to the sin bin for a period which put added pressure on the remaining players.

These players stepped up to the mark and closed out any attack from the Strathaven players who thought they could sense a score on the horizon.

Full-back David McLintock saved Clydebank several times with well timed tackles on Strathaven breaks. Eventually Clydebank weathered the storm and returned to the full 15-man compliment.

At this point the tide began to turn once more. Clydebank took the play back into the Strathaven half and decided this is where they would play the remainder of the match.

The reversal of fortunes was highlighted by a break up the middle of the park by David Howie after 30 minutes. Howie crashed through tackles to the 22-metre line where he was ultimately felled.

Howie passed on to the supporting Euan Cuthbert who combined with his back row partner Jamie Boyd to take the ball to within inches of the Strathaven try-line.

Clydebank recycled the ball several times, putting lots of pressure on the Strathaven defence. A line-out close to the try-line heralded another Clydebank attack which the Strathaven forwards tried to subdue but were punished severely as a Clydebank maul edged mercilessly towards the try line.

It would be scrum half Ross Moffatt who would take control and he darted around the side of the maul to score the fourth try and add the bonus point. Another conversion was missed and Clydebank were 24-0 in the lead.

The match ended soon after with Clydebank elated at their return to some resemblance of form and Strathaven battered and bruised by a physically stronger and more wise Clydebank team.