Thistle flirt with relegation zone

Nov 19 2008 by Paul Thomson, East Kilbride News

East Kilbride Thistle ......2 Clydebank .....................3

THISTLE fell to their third consecutive league defeat against Clydebank in an entertaining game that had five goals and a sending off.

And with just two wins from six games, the Jags are already only a point off the relegation zone.

Both teams were led onto the pitch by boys and girls from EK Thistle’s development squads, but the buzz around the Showpark was almost killed off immediately when the visitors were awarded a penalty in the fifth minute.

Bankies new signing Charlie Hobbs stepped up, but Brian McDonald made a great save low to his right to prevent an early setback.

Both teams were attempting to play entertaining football on a heavy pitch, but the visitors did eventually take the lead in the 10th minute after a poor clearance from the Thistle defence.

A cross from the right drifted past the goal and as Feeney attempted a clearance under pressure he only put it as far as Hailstones, who delivered a perfect cross to the back post where Charlie Hobbs’s powerful header made amends for his penalty miss.

On 21 minutes good interplay between Ricky Orr and Davies resulted in the latter firing the ball across the 6-yard box, but there were no takers for the Jags.

Thistle continued to press forward and moments later, Steven “Dunga” McClung – now in his second stint at the club – couldn't get onto the end of a through ball from Feeney. Thistle were then forced to make an early change as Cunning succumbed to injury and was replaced by Benji Njemo.

And Thistle were left to rue their missed chances as Clydebank increased their lead on the half-hour. Again, it came from slack play at the back as the unmarked Allum curled a shot off the inside of the post and beyond McDonald to double the visitors’ advantage.

Njemo then tried to get Thistle back into it but his shot from the edge of the box sailed over the bar, before McClung forced a good save from the Bankies keeper.

And Thistle's perseverance paid off on the stroke of half-time when Njemo spotted the run of Moore into the box and Njemo’s perfectly weighted pass enabled Moore to slot the ball past Gonet.

In the second half, the Bankies put the pressure on the home side and McDonald was again called into action on 60 minutes when he saved well from a shot from the edge of the box before Clydebank increased their lead two minutes later.

This time a pass from Allum to Hailstones on the left touchline saw him lift a high cross into the six-yard box to find Smith rushing in to volley past McDonald.

Njemo was then booked before Alan McCrae replaced Moore on 72 minutes to make an instant impression after Orr had been brought down just outside the penalty box.

McCrae stepped up and flighted a wonderful shot up and over the wall into the net beating Gonet at the near post.

The Jags sensed the chance of completing the comeback and the game continued to flow from end to end. A cross from the right landed beside McCrae whose shot just edged past the far post, but Thistle were fortunate not to fall further behind on 85 minutes when a shot from Allum cannoned off the post. And a minute later Hailstones miss-hit a shot right in front of goal when it looked easier to score.

But any glimmer of a late show was destroyed in the 88th minute when Njemo received a second yellow card for a rash challenge in midfield and was ordered off.

Clydebank deserved the win, but you get the feeling that when it clicks for Thistle they will spring a surprise result.

lThe Jags travel to Port Glasgow on Saturday, kick-off 2pm. The Supporters’ Bus leaves the Thistle Social Club at 12.30pm, non-members welcome.