Clydebank progressed to the second round of the West of Scotland Cup with a 4-0 win over Lugar Boswell Thistle on Saturday.
Debut goals for John Cunningham and Steven Higgins, as well as strikes from Jordan Shelvey and Ryan Deas, saw Bankies set up a second round tie away to Gartcairn.
Bankies boss Kieran McAnespie made four changes to the side that last played over a month ago, with Cammy McClair and Cunningham making their Bankies bows on a heavy surface.
Despite the conditions and Bankies not having played for over a month, the visitors started brightly and went ahead inside six minutes.
On loan Alloa striker Cunningham burst down the left channel and saw his initial shot blocked by the feet of Lugar goalkeeper Ronnie Davis, with Jordan Shelvey alert to head home the rebound as Clydebank’s top scorer claimed his 11th goal of the season.
In a rare foray forward, Lugar winger Ross Ballantyne forced a strong save from Josh Lumsden with an angled drive from the area, and the Bankies stopper was equal to the effort.
It was a fairly laboured performance from the new look Bankies side, but they should’ve added a second when Cunningham missed an open goal from five yards early in the second period.
McAnespie opted to switch to a back three with Matt McLean and Chris Black operating as wing backs, a move which which restricted the home side to a more direct approach for most of the second half.
And with fifteen minutes remaining, Bankies patience paid off as they doubled their lead. Substitute Deas’ curling effort was parried into the path of Cunningham, who atoned for his earlier miss by stabbing home from close range.
Less than two minutes later and Bankies were awarded a penalty and Lugar reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Davis cleaned out Higgins as he burst through on goal. Referee Jordan Paterson immediately produced a straight red card, with substitute Higgins comfortably slotting the ball into the corner for his first competition goal in Clydebank colours.
Buoyed by the man advantage, Bankies settled the tie with a fourth and final goal of the game as the clock struck ninety. Good work down the right channel saw Shelvey cut the ball back for Deas, who powered home an effort from the edge of the area into the bottom corner as Bankies secured progression to the next round.
