Match Report

Clyde are the new joint leaders of The Ladbrokes SPL2 following their victory over Annan at Broadwood.

The Bully Wee made their intentions clear from the start catching Annan cold scoring 2 goals in the opening 15 minutes, leaving Annan with a mountain to climb.
Annan managed to pull a goal back in the 25th minute but their hopes took another dent when Matty Flynn was adjudged to have fouled Sean Higgins and a penalty was awarded in 31st minute and Clyde retained their 2 goal advantage and right to the end of the match.
The Annan starting line up showed a couple of changes from the previous week with Peter Weatherson being declared unfit and Steven Sloan being relegated to the substitutes bench, their places being taken by Stuart McColm and David Ferguson. Barry Ferguson’s starting line up was the same as the one that lifted the points up at Arbroath last week.
The opening goal for Clyde was a goal Annan will no doubt look back on with some regret when Archie Campbell was allowed to get his cross in from wide on the right and the inviting ball hung under the cross bar and Michael Bolochowecky caught the Annan defence static finishing with header from close range. There was more to come from the Bully Wee and like the opening goal there was huge question marks on the Annan defence when David Gormley rose unchallenged from Chris Mitchell’s corner from inside the 6 yard box to score with another header.
Annan worked hard to get back in the game and McColm finished a fine run with an inviting ball across the face of the goal. Annan built up momentum and were rewarded in the 25th minute with a well executed goal. Osadolor was the provider laying the ball into the path of Matty Flynn who’s curling shot form 12 yards was placed beyond the reach of keeper John Gibson. Almost straight from the kick off Annan won a corner after Osadolor’s shot was deflected for a corner kick with Swinglehurst’s header from the corner going narrowly over the cross bar.
A decisive moment in the game moved the balance of power back in Clyde’s favour in the 32nd minute, when Clyde were awarded a dubious penalty kick. There appeared no danger when Flynn tackled Sean Higgins on the edge of the box but referee Alan Newlands was well placed to make his decision and Scott Linton dispatched the spot kick past Jordan Hart to restore Clyde’s two goal advantage.
As the game edged towards half time Annan carved open the Clyde defence when Flynn threaded the ball into the path of Stuart McColm and his 39th minute effort went narrowly past the post. It was an opportunity lost.
Annan started the second half with a back 3 and they started to impose their authority on the game taking the game to Clyde. Ryan McStay was introduced early at the expense of Rabine Omar in the 52nd minute and in the 63rd minute Bryan Gillfillan playing as a trialist was introduced for the injured Stuart McColm. Almost immediately Gillfillan made a positive penetrating run into the box finishing with an inviting ball across the face of the goal just beyond the outstretched leg of Josh Todd.
Clyde responded and Hugh Murray came close from a Mitchell cross closely followed by a curling Archie Campbell effort which flashed past the post. The home team were pressing and Swinglehurst headed Gormley’s netbound effort off the goal line followed by another goal line clearance from Flynn who cleared Marsh’s effort. A minute later and Clyde struck again when a bad error of judgement by keeper Jordan Hart presented David Marsh with an opportunity not to be missed and Gormley Clyde’s man of the match dispatched the shot into the net form 10 yards to give Clyde a 4-1 lead.
Gillfillan pulled a goal back for Annan in the 85th minute when he headed Ryan McStay’s corner into the net from inside the 6 yard box. Following this there was a melee on the edge of the Clyde box which saw 3 players being booked and Martin McNiff having to leave the field having sustained a cut to his eye.

CLYDE :John Gibson, Chis Mitcheell. Michael Bolochowecky ( 73 min), Chris Smith, Scott Linton,John Paul McGovern, Scott McLauchlin, David Marsh, Archie Campbell ( Scott Ferguson 83 min), Sean Higgins, David Gormley. SUBS NOT USED:Mark McMillan GK, Steven Brisbane, Brian McQueen, Hugh Murray, Connor Lynas.

Goals- Bolochowecky 5 min, Gormley 15 min, Marsh 81 min.
ANNAN ATHLETIC: Jordan Hart, Steven Black,Steven Swinglehurst, Martin McNiff ( Greig Macdonald 88min), Peter Watson, David Ferguson, Rabin Omar (Ryan McStay 52 min), Mathew Flynn , Stuart McColm (Brian Gillfillan 65 min), Josh Todd ,Smart Osalodor. SUBS NOT USED: Blair Currie GK , Steven Sloan, Liam Park, Scott Norman.

Goals- Flynn 25 min, Gilfillan 86 min.
REFEREE: Alan Newlands . ​Assistants Michael Banks and Steven Strang.​

Attendance 505