Clyde have mountain to climb as Queen's grab play-off lead

Clyde's promotion hopes were left hanging by a thread when Queen's Park took a 3-1 advantage from their first leg of their League One promotion play-off final at Broadwood on Tuesday night.
Jordan Kirkpatrick tries to find a way past the Queen's Park defenceJordan Kirkpatrick tries to find a way past the Queen's Park defence
Jordan Kirkpatrick tries to find a way past the Queen's Park defence

The Bully Wee went into the match having taken just one point from the four League 2 meetings between the sides during the regular season.

And that record wasn’t improved any as the visitors put themselves in a strong position to complete the job in Saturday’s second leg at Hampden.

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It was an emotional occasion at Broadwood as the game kicked off following an impeccably observed minute’s silence in memory of former Bully Wee defender Chris Mitchell.

The visitors got off to a dream start when they took the lead with just five minutes on the clock.

David Galt was fouled in the box by Marvin Andrews and Sean Burns stepped up to send John Gibson the wrong way from the spot.

Clyde were determined to hit back quickly and only a superb one-handed save by Willie Muir prevented Bryan Wharton heading a long throw-in from Scott Linton into his own goal.

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But the home side were level in the 15th minute when ex-Queen’s Parker John Gemmell headed home from close range after the visitors failed to clear another long Linton throw-in.

As applause rang out a minute later to mark Mitchell’s number, Jordan Kirkpatrick wasn’t far away from giving Barry Ferguson’s side the lead from a free-kick, his effort just clearing the bar.

The visitors had a decent spell just before half-time, John Carter forcing a save from Gibson from a tight angle and then putting a header over the bar.

After the break David Galt brought out a comfortable save from Gibson and at the other end Muir kept out a Kirkpatrick effort, David Gormley just failing to turn home the loose ball from the rebound.

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Gibson made good stops to deny first Carter and then Galt as they raced in on goal but was beaten on 63 minutes when Vinnie Berry put the visitors back in front, blasting home a left-footed drive from eight yards after a Paul Woods shot was blocked.

Scott Linton almost brought Clyde level again within a couple of minutes, Muir making a fine one-handed save to keep out his free-kick.

Clyde continued to push for an equaliser and Kirkpatrick fashioned an opening but his shot from outside the box was too high.

But they were left with a mountain to climb when Galt fired home a terrific strike for the visitors six minutes from time, his thunderbolt from outside the box going in via the underside of the bar.

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Clyde: Gibson, Brisbane, Andrews, Smith, McMann, Linton, Marsh (Higgins 70), S McLaughlin, Kirkpatrick, Gormley (Millen 79), Gemmell (Watson 73).

Subs not used: Waters, Bolochoweckyj, Glackin.

Queen’s Park: Muir, Mitchell, McLeish, Berry, McGeever, Wharton, Woods (McVey 72), Brown (Bradley 72), Carter (Mortimer 88), Galt, Burns.

Subs not used: O’Boyle, Baty, Gibson, Mortimer, MacPherson.

Referee: Kevin Clancy