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CLYDE 2 : 0 QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

3rd April 2004

Samson Rating: 5.95

Paton Rating: 6.52

Allan Rating: 6.23

Reid Rating: 6.52

Aitken Rating: 6.50

S2 Gibson Rating: 6.95

Bowey Rating: 6.96

McColligan Rating: 6.35

Burke Rating: 5.43

S1 O'Connor Rating: 5.67

Jaconelli Rating: 6.73

SUBSTITUTES
S1 - 72 McMullan Rating: 4.71	S2 - 77 Bagan Rating: 4.76	Payne	Thomson	Dodds

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Members of the Internet Fan Club can award players marks out of ten for their performance today. The player with the most points awarded in the two days following a match will be the IFC Man of the Match. All of the points will then be added to a running total for each player and the results published in the mom League Table.

Name or IFC No.

MATCH SUMMARY

A third defeat of the season against the Champions elect today at Broadwood and, although there wasn't too much between the sides on the day, Clyde did enough to earn the three points they needed. After last week's poor showing against Ayr John Connolly made four changes to freshen the side up. Back from suspension came Brian Reid, with Jim Thomson the unlucky man to drop out. In also came Brian McColligan, Willie Gibson and Emilio Jaconelli with Joe McAlpine, Paul Burns and Stephen Payne dropping out. Payne was on the bench along with Dodds, McMullan, Thomson and Bagan. Austin McCann made an immediate debut for Clyde following his midweek move from Hearts. Queens started well and after only two minutes, Jaconelli bustled his way past Mensing and struck at goal from 18 yards though it proved an easy save for Halliwell. On the ten minute mark, a Paton ball forward was chested back by O'Connor to Bowey who hit from 25 yards but Halliwell again saved above his head easily enough. Straight up the other end and Ian Harty was late in a challenge on Aitken in midfield, causing a reaction from Andy. There is history between these two going back to Harty's Stranraer days so it was no surprise when Harty sprang to his feet to square up to his opponent. Referee Kenny Clark was quick to separate them before any blows were exchanged though and both players were booked for their troubles.

Midfield action.

Clyde though began to come into the game and on 13 minutes Jack Ross almost got behind the defence but Aitken got back in time to do enough to make Samson's save an easy one. A minute later Andy Smith did get behind the back four despite Derek Allan's protestations of offside but his shot on the turn was not a good connection and eluded both Samson and the far post on its way past. Jaconelli was looking lively and giving the Clyde back line a hard time and he had another run and decent shot from 20 yards on 17 minutes. On 25 minutes Burke and Gibson swapped passes a couple of times before the former struck just over the bar from outside the box. Clyde were soon back on the attack though and Andy Smith had an incredible miss on 24 minutes. A cross somehow drifted over several heads leaving him with a free shot at goal from 6 yards out. A goal seemed certain but the lanky hitman swung his right boot too early and barely made any contact at all with the ball allowing the defence to scramble clear. On 38 minutes Jaconelli's attempt to control a left sided corner inside the six yard box somehow ended up on the roof of the net with Halliwell having no idea where the ball was. A minute later he was trying again, this time hitting from 20 yards after collecting Bowey's pass and beating two defenders. This time he narrowly missed the bottom left corner with Halliwell sufficiently worried about it to throw himself full length at the ball. The final action of the opening period though was at the other end when Jimmy Gibson picked up a loose pass from Alex Burke and ran at goal before hitting from 20 yards. Samson was able to parry and drop on the loose ball though. The first significant action of the second half saw Queens having to pick the ball out of their own net unfortunately. It came from a big punt forward by the Clyde defence. Harty was beyond everybody and latched on to the ball as Andy Aitken seemed to leave the ball for Samson to come out and collect. The diminutive striker got there first though and poked the ball past the on-loan goalkeeper. Samson got enough on the ball to prevent it reaching goal directly but Stephen McConologue had followed up and had the simplest of tasks to score from about 2 yards out. Aitken was hurt in the collision with his own keeper but recovered after treatment. Two minutes later McConologue should have doubled his tally when Andy Smith beat the offside again to cross into space for his partner. The cross took Samson right out of play and left an empty net but this time the little striker couldn't quite reach the ball when any touch was destined to be a goal.

Defence hold firm.

Queens began to fight back though and on 56 minutes Burke's dangerous cross was fisted away by Halliwell. The loose ball was picked up outside the box by Willie Gibson who ran through the defence before squaring to the back post where the ball was hacked off the line. It came back to Gibson again but this time his shot was blocked again and then fully cleared. A minute later Brian Reid of all people strode forward down the left side exchanging passes with Burke before the latter's shot was deflected wide for a corner kick. From the resulting set piece, Gibson pulled the ball way back for Paton to fizz a shot just wide from almost 30 yards. Kernaghan reacted to this small spell of pressure by making a double switch, introducing Keogh and Gilhaney in place of Smith and McConologue. A few minutes later as Harty attempted another run into the box the ball clearly struck Brian Reid on the hand but Mr Clark waved penalty claims away. A minute later Gilhaney got possession inside the six yard box and beat Samson from an acute angle only watch as his effort ran along the goal line and drifted wide of the far post instead of going in. On 67 minutes, Pat Keogh took advantage of the windy conditions to have a pot at goal from 40 yards. His effort was beyond Samson but fortunately also just above the crossbar. On 72 minutes John Connolly made his first change when he brought on McMullan for O'Connor but the change had no time to make any difference before Clyde doubled their lead. In driving rain Jack Ross collected the ball in midfield and stepped forward before striking a brilliant effort from 25 yards or so in off Craig Samson's left post. Connolly's response was to replace Willie Gibson with David Bagan and, in 78 minutes, Jaconelli again hit a dangerous low shot at Halliwell but the keeper saved again. On 84 minutes Simon Mensing went in the referee's notebook for a pull back on McMullan. He'd been warned only a few minutes earlier for delaying the taking of a throw in. In the final minute Brian McColligan joined him there, though he was perhaps a little fortunate not to see red for what appeared a deliberate elbow on Mark Gilhaney. This is exactly the sort of game which championship chasing teams find a way to win and that's exactly what Clyde did today, credit to them. There wasn't that much between the two teams but they collected the three points and, with Inverness failing to win at St Mirren, extended their lead into the bargain. For Queens this was a much better showing than last week but Clyde are a much better team than Ayr so the result wasn't as good. Next week sees a home game with St Mirren and Connolly's men will be looking to get back on track after going scoreless for two successive games for the first time all season. Ewan Lithgow Photographs David Gow