The impressive midweek win over Gartcairn marked the midway point of Pollok’s West of Scotland league campaign. They started the second half with a home game against leaders Clydebank, who ran out comfortable 2-0 winners after two early goals.

Shooting down the slope, Clydebank had the better of the early stages without creating any real chances until the eighth minute when they were awarded a penalty. A pass was lofted into the box and as Samson looked to latch on to it Forrester came across to block and in the impeded the striker, before Little found the bottom corner from the kick.

After a misplaced Forrester pass led to a Bankies opening that Gow just managed to snuff out Pollok managed a dangerous counter attack which ended in a low cross from the left by Nelson which was just too far in front of Forde. Nelson was involved again in the twenty-fifth minute when the Southsiders won the ball in the Bankies’ half. Duncanson passed to Nelson who drove at the defence before shooting over the bar.

Clydebank doubled their lead just after the half hour mark. The ball was being pinged back and forth between the two defences when it fell for Samson in the middle of the park. He lofted it over his head and in behind the Lok defence for Little to run on to and slot past Fry into the bottom corner.

Moments after the restart Fry had to get down to his left to save a deflected long-range strike but there was no more meaningful action for either keeper in the first half.

HALF-TIME: POLLOK 0 – 2 CLYDEBANK

The second half started with Little trying for his hat trick from the halfway line but Fry recovered his position in plenty of time to gather. As the game approached the hour mark a long throw in from Bain was laid off by Forde to substitute Docherty who had a go at gaining a nomination for the Puskas award but his attempt at a spectacular volley was well off target.

A Clydebank corner fell at the feet of Little whose first shot was blocked and his attempt from the rebound was straight at Fry. Gow then had to look lively to head a dangerous cross over his own bar before Little passed up one last chance for his hat trick when a low cross found him at the back post but he could only find the side netting with his shot.

It had not been a classic but the away side had shown exactly why they are top of the league with a disciplined, controlled performance in all areas of the pitch. The only disappointment on the day for their travelling support will have been the news of Johnstone Burgh’s two goals in the last two minutes to turn zero points into three and keep the title race alive before the two sides meet next weekend.

The crowd of 772 was higher than any crowd in League One that afternoon and shows the potential of clubs at this level. And whilst this game might not have ranked highly on the entertainment scale there were sprinklings of quality on display and no lack of commitment.

FULL-TIME: POLLOK 0 – 2 CLYDEBANK

Attendance: 772

 

Report by Peter Thomson

Photographs from James Graham

Highlights sponsored by Scottish Property Centre