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Clyde 3; ROSS COUNTY 0 |
On-loan striker Brian McPhee cannot help but look enviously at his former team-mates at Livingston as they enjoy life in the Premier League.
And despite his outstanding display in this confident three-goal win over a poor Ross County side, McPhee’s first question afterwards was about the outcome of his old mates’ clash with Dundee United. "How did Livvy get on‘" he asked the assembled pack of reporters as he faced a barrage of questions about his own future.
He admitted: "I would still like a shot of playing in the Premier League. I am here at Clyde on loan for a month, and we will see what the situation is at the end of the period."
And on whether he would move permanently to Clyde, he would only say: "I would have to wait and see what happens at the end of the season."
But, ironically, he could be close to the SPL if Clyde continue in the kind of form they are now displaying, because they totally outplayed a disappointing Ross County side from the first whistle.
With the inclusion of former St Johnstone defender Alan Kernoghan and David Hagan from Livingston, Clyde dictated, and it was no surprise when they took the lead after 22 minutes. Hagan and Jack Ross worked a short corner kick before Ross swung the ball to the six-yard area, where the towering Pat Keogh forced it home at the second attempt.
After McPhee missed a chance to add a second, he made up for the error by creating space on the right before firing over his cross for Keogh to shoot home before the interval.
The second half was notable only for a third from Andy Millen, whose first effort was blocked by a superb save from Tony Bullock, but he made no mistake with the rebound.
Clyde’s ambitions are obviously growing, and their manager, Allan Maitland, observed: "The new players have added to the squad. We were maybe lacking a wee bit of experience before we brought them in, but now there is nothing to say that we cannot compete for promotion this season."
But Ross County manager Neale Cooper faces an uphill struggle after being told by his directors during the close season that he must cut both his backroom and playing pool because of financial restraints.
Ross County: Bullock; Perry, Maxwell, Webb, Hastings, Ferguson, Fraser (Cowie, 78), Hislop (McCormick, 46), Bone, Boukraa and Robertson. Unused Subs: Gonet (gk), Irvine and Dlugonski.
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ROSS COUNTY 4; Clyde 0 |
Ross County: Bullock; Perry, Hastings, Maxwell, Irvine, Webb, Cowie, Ferguson, Gethins, Hislop and Robertson. Subs: S McKay, Boukkra, Bone, Prest and Gonet (gk).
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ROSS COUNTY 2; Clyde 1 |
Of all the rain-soaked surfaces in Scotland’s many soggy corners, Ross County’s Victoria Park seems to have been one of the worst affected this winter.
It was nothing short of a minor miracle that this game was played at all, and all the more incredible that Clyde and County were able to provide entertainment of a kind.
What transpired was far from pretty, but the end result was sweet for manager Neale Cooper, though his men still sit uncomfortably just one place off the bottom with games in hand.
After 74 minutes of deadlock, Kenny Gilbert, a player still recovering after three years spent battling against a serious eye injury, scored the goal of the game from 25 yards into the top corner.
A scrambled second from young Irish prospect Conor Gethins seemed to have it all wrapped up for County, but nothing is ever straightforward in this division.
Clyde mustered a retaliatory goal, then screamed for a penalty late on, before producing one last save of quality from County’s Tony Bullock, who rightly made off with the man-of-the-match award.
With the stakes high for both sides, the Dingwall men were first to settle with Steve Ferguson forcing an early save from Bryn Halliwell.
Alex Bone also had an early effort held, but Clyde also had their chances - Mitchell stubbing a shot wide from 10 yards and Bullock saving at the feet of Leigh Hinds.
In 25 minutes, a brilliant 20-yard free-kick strike from Brian Carrigan was parried to safety by Bullock at the near post as the ex-Barnsley man continued his faultless form.
Heavy rain made the sodden surface extremely difficult, but Clyde were coping best and pressing for a winner as the second half progressed.
It was County, though, who took a 74th-minute lead. Clyde seemed to have dealt with the immediate danger after a spell of County pressure, but GILBERT swivelled and fired a sweet 25-yard effort into the keeper’s top left-hand corner.
Ian Maxwell had an effort tipped over the bar by Halliwell a couple of minutes later after a back heel by Gethins.
And, from the corner, GETHINS set the seal on another fine County win in 79 minutes when he got the final touch after a scramble in the box.
Just when County seemed in control, Leigh Hinds scored when he latched on to a long through pass and beat the keeper to the ball. It made for a late sweat in the home dug-out, but Clyde’s shattered legs could not net an equaliser.
Bullock; Lilley, Perry, Maxwell, Irvine, Hastings (Anselin, 90), Ferguson, Gilbert, Robertson, Bone (Jack, 90) and Boukraa (Gethins, 33). Unused Subs: Trialist (gk) and McCormick.
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Clyde 0; ROSS COUNTY 0 |
Relegation-haunted Ross County will be wondering this morning how they failed to earn all three points and ease their worries about dropping into the Second Division.
The Dingwall side dominated during the first 45 minutes last night, but failed to turn their superiority into goals.
Right from the start County, who had beaten Clyde only on Saturday, looked in the mood to pick up another valuable win, and Steve Hislop’s inviting cross after two minutes narrowly evaded Alex Bone in the centre.
Hislop himself should have opened the scoring shortly afterwards, but as the home defence stood still, he headed a Hugh Robertson cross over the bar.
Clyde were finding it difficult to deal with the inswinging corners of Steve Ferguson and Robertson, but County found themselves denied again when Ian Maxwell’s header was cleared off the line by Simon Mensing.
The Ross County goal was rarely under threat, but a Brian Carrigan free kick caused anxiety for 'keeper Tony Bulloch until it rose just over the bar.
Clyde came more in to the game after the interval, but it was the visitors who were left to rue a series of missed chances.
Ross County: Bullock; Lilley (Cowie), Maxwell, Perry, Robertson, Gilbert, Gethins (Anselin), Ferguson (Irvine), Hastings, Bone abd Hislop. Unused Subs: Jack, and Trialist (gk).
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