CLYDEBANK regained second spot with a 3-0 win over Rutherglen Glencairn on Monday night.
A Mark Burbidge double and second half strike from Jordan Shelvey saw Bankies leave Rutherglen with all three points, with Glencairn down to ten men.
Bankies boss Budgie McGhie made three changes to the side that lost on penalties to Auchinleck, with Jamie Lyden, Stevie Young and Greg Cree replacing Johnny Allan, Joel Kasubandi and Ryan Holms respectively.
After a quiet opening period, Josh Lumsden was called into action, blocking at the feet of former Bankie Derek McNab. Then, a mistimed header from Calum Gow allowed Mark Duffy to race in behind the Bankies back line, but his shot was deflected wide.
Midway through the first half, Glens had the ball in the net. McNab’s glancing header flew over Lumsden, but the assistant referee ruled it out for offside.
That scare appeared to spring the Bankies forward line into action, and Clydebank took the lead with ten minutes of the first half remaining. Nicky Little burst down the right channel, before squaring the ball across the face of goal. Lone striker Stevie Young cleverly let the ball run through his legs, with Burbidge on hand at the back post to slam the ball back across goal for the opener.
Two minutes later, Glencairn were – harshly – down to ten men. Striker Mark Duffy appeared to catch Calum Gow with an accidental high boot, with referee Chris McTiernan producing a straight red card.
Seven minutes after the restart, Bankies should’ve doubled their lead. Nicky Little was sent through one on one with Hutchison, but pressure from Glens defender Andy Neil saw Little delay the shot and Hutchison produce a great save.
Twelve minutes from time, Burbidge grabbed his and Clydebank’s second of the evening. From a throw in, Jordan Shelvey worked the ball to the right hand edge of the box, with Burbidge on hand to fire a first time shot low past Hutchison.
Just over minute later, substitute Jordan Shelvey added a third and secured all three points. Intercepting a loose ball, Shelvey curled in a left footed effort from just inside the box.
With seven minutes remaining, Hutchison denied Bankies a fourth with a wonder-save. Shelvey was once again the orchestrator, cutting the ball back for Cree, whose shot was unbelievably tipped onto the cross bar by the fingertips of Hutchison.
In the last action of the match, Glens could’ve grabbed a consolation. Good play down the right saw Batchelor slip in McNab, but Calum Gow’s timely tackle saw the shot deflected wide and Bankies hold on for an invaluable three points.
