The excitement of the new league season starting was made all the more so by the fixtures computer when it scheduled Rob Roy versus Clydebank for the opening day. Newly promoted Bankies against a new look Rabs served up a five-goal thriller but the whole game was overshadowed for me by the casual racism of a group of home fans stood beside me at one of their own players.
I set off early today in the car knowing that the car park had been sold by the club and that street parking is scarcely available. Roadworks across from the ground didn’t help matters and as I parked about four streets away I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the local residents on match days.
Upon entering Adamslie the first thing I noticed was a burger van – Dannys Snacks – which I’ve never seen inside the ground before. I tentatively made my way around to the usual kitchen and to my relief the lovely ladies were still open. Apparently Clydebank were bringing 600 fans with them so the van had been brought in to meet demand. There’s probably a weight based joke in there but I’d never stoop so low.
I’m not sure if there was as many as 600 fans but the crowd was certainly one of the biggest I’ve seen at Adamslie and the majority were Bankies who were in good voice on both sides of the pitch. Although I heard one fan complain that he couldn’t sing about “Kirky scum” because apparently “there’s nane. Ye need a 60 fit gairden to live here!”
The club may be well established but this was a very new team for the Rabs with new manager Jimmy Lindsay making rafts of changes over the summer break. The starting eleven only contained two regulars from last season’s line-up. Clydebank also started with a couple of their new signings but the majority of Budgie McGhie’s side were the stars who had helped them gain promotion last year.
It was the league new boys who shot out the traps with striker Hobbs being put clear on goal after only 2 minutes. A last ditch sliding tackle from right back Cairney saved Rob Roy from an embarrassing start.
Five minutes later and a Rabs attack resulted in the first corner kick of the game. The dead ball was put to the back post tempting goalie Hamilton out to try to clear it. He missed his punch but the Rab’s centre half Keenan could only direct his header over the bar.
It was then the Bankies turn to attack with two chances in quick succession. The first was a looping volley from 25 yards saved well by new keeper Connolly, the second was a free kick in a dangerous area won with more than the suspicion of a dive from Hobbs. However the free kick came to nothing in the end.
After the bankies having the best of the game Rob Roy showed they were still a threat when centre forward Gormley dragged a shot wide of goal after some great hold up play by his strike partner Coakley.
This warning was followed up less than a minute later when Rob Roy were awarded a penalty after goalkeeper Hamilton brought down a Rabs striker. As last man Hamilton was also shown the red card and the game was held up for a few minutes while substitute goalie Gonnet prepared to come on as striker McPherson was sacrificed for the team.
With the pressure cranked up by the delay the responsibility fell to captain, Gormley, to open the scoring. His spot kick sent the keeper the wrong way and Rob Roy were 1-nil and 1-man up.
GOAL Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1-0 Clydebank (Gormley(10), 20mins)
The home side continued to press after the opener to try to take advantage of the numerical superiority. Gormley was put clean through on 27 minutes by a long free kick but could only put his shot wide under pressure from the defence. Then a minute later and it was left-winger, Easton’s turn to have a dig go wide after some intricate build up play by Lindsay and Coakley.
At a time when it seemed like nothing was going right for the Bankies their centre forward Hobbs managed to talk himself into the referee’s book. On 30 minutes Hobbs received the yellow card for persistent whingeing and swearing at the ref and linesman.
Having been quiet for much of the match Clydebank’s playmaker, Darian McKinnon, started to see more of the ball. In 38 minutes the Bankies’ number 8 set up Hobbs with a square ball from the left hand side but the forward mis-controlled instead of shooting first time from 8 yards out. Then four minutes later McKinnon went on an unchecked dribble down the inside right channel but his neat pass inside just evaded his team-mate.
The ten men of Clydebank were on the forward foot now and causing the home side problems. It was no surprise on 43 minutes when they got the equaliser. The goal came from a free kick floated in deep from the right wing. A poor headed clearance at the back post actually went back across the face of the goal straight to Hobbs who had all the time in the world to volley home from 4 yards out. It was difficult to see where the Rabs defence disappeared to.
GOAL Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1-1 Clydebank (Hobbs(9), 43mins)
Things could have been worse for the home side when Clydebank number 7, Martin, fired a low volley straight from a corner towards the goal. With the goalie beaten on his left side it was upto the defender on the line to clear the danger.
Half Time Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 1-1 Clydebank
As half-time came I was given the chance to reflect on the surprising array of colours on display by the Clydebank team’s boots. I first noticed it with striker Hobbs who sported a pair in the colour known to the B&Q paint aisle as “shocking pink” but he wasn’t alone. His right midfielder Martin had the same pink boots on as did centre half Campbell! The big defender’s partner didn’t fare much better with a lovely “canary yellow” pair on – a style he shared with McPherson up front. Ah, remember the days of a simple pair of black and white striped Copas?
Playing-wise, the half time break couldn’t come soon enough for Rob Roy who looked dazed by the visitors. However their manager must have calmed his team down with soothing words because they came back out looking more like a team with a man advantage.
After 55 minutes right full back Cairney pushed forward and found striker Gormley in space in the centre. The number 9 flicked a lovely ball through the Clydebank defence finding the run from centre midfielder Fulton. He chested the ball down to simultaneously control it and take the covering centre half out the picture before smashing home with a cool finish.
GOAL Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 2-1 Clydebank (Fulton(8), 55mins)
Both teams had players booked for rather innocuous looking fouls – Lindsay for Rob Roy after 59 minutes and McKinnon for Clydebank 2 minutes later.
Clydebank made a substitution after 64 minutes when goal scorer Hobbs was withdrawn for No.14 Dymock. The striker was immediately involved in the action when he latched onto a through ball and a slip by the Rabs defence but Dymock could only watch as his fierce drive flashed over the bar from 12 yards out.
A minute later and the game looked like it was beyond the visitors when Fulton scored his second of the game to put Rob Roy 3-1 up. With the Bankies defence under pressure a poor clearance only reached Coakley in space 25 yards out. He slipped Fulton through who kept calm and diverted the ball low past the onrushing goalie.
GOAL Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 3-1 Clydebank (Fulton(8), 65mins)
The game was almost dead and buried 3 minutes later when Fulton was clean through again. He rounded the keeper but his shot was partially blocked by a defender and was slowly bobbling wide but when his team-mate, substitute striker, Mackie put the ball in the net he was flagged offside. As a former Clydebank player he was denied the chance to score against his old team.
It was when Mackie came on as a substitute for Coakley that the game was overshadowed by the group of Rob Roy fans beside me. There were four of them all aged between 50 and 60 at a guess and all looked very respectable. For those readers who don’t know him, Chris Mackie is black. That should not be an issue in 2011 but I was disgusted to hear one of the group calling him “Jungle Ted”. This must have been thought of as hilarious because the term was used continually throughout the rest of the game along with other offensive utterances including “Tell him man of the match prize is a spear”.
There are no stewards or police at this level – only at the high profile games where violence is likely. However I expect you can report these things to the home team’s committee. Unfortunately an official of Rob Roy did come over and proceeded to have a good old chin-wag with these guys like they were old friends so what can you do? My response is to write about it here and I encourage you to share this with your friends. Maybe shame will have an effect.
Back to the football and the game looked to be winding down with the only action being a diving header chance from Mackie after good work by McKay on the right wing and a yellow card shown to Cairney for a clumsy tackle on McKinnon.
However Clydebank set up a nervous last five minutes when they got back into the game in bizarre circumstances. Their players were looking tired after all the extra effort being put in from being a man down. However left winger Berry received the ball on the left wing and sent in a looping cross to the back post. The cross evaded everyone including a back-peddling Connolly in goals and dropped inside the back post for a second Bankies goal.
GOAL Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 3-2 Clydebank (Berry(11), 85mins)
With new hope Clydebank pushed hard for the equaliser and they nearly got one a minute after the goal. Darian McKinnon found space in the Rabs’ penalty box and was about to pull the trigger when a great sliding challenge from centre half Keenan kept the score line in Rob Roy’s favour.
Full Time Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 3-2 Clydebank
(Gormley, Fulton 2; Hobbs, Berry)
Clydebank should take great heart from their performance even if they came away from Adamslie without any points. If they continue to play as well they definitely have the quality to trouble teams in the Super Premier league.
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy’s new manager must be pleased with the contribution shown by his team today. There were weaknesses which I am sure will be worked upon in training and as the team gel over time they could go on to have a good season. They showed they are still an attacking threat.
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy:
Starting 11: Connolly, Cairney, McBride, Carter, Lindsay, Keenan, McKay, Fulton, Gormley, Coakley, Easton. Subs: Robertson, Thomas, McAleenan, Mackie.
Clydebank:
Starting 11: Hamilton, Allum, Paterson, McAdam, Campbell, Bell, Martin, McKinnon, Hobbs, McPherson, Berry. Subs: Gonnet, Stones, Dymock, McComish, Thompson, Crawford, Gold.
The reason I started coming to Junior games was to watch live football without any of the baggage that comes with it – especially in the west of Scotland. I go to games and am heartened by the passion of the fans for their teams, the number of woman and wee kids in the terraces, a real family atmosphere. It should never be marred by racism. There is no place for racism in our football grounds in 2011. There is no place for racism in our society in 2011. We should have progressed a bit further than that in the past hundred years. Don’t you think?
There’s no “Kirky Scum”? I found some.
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