Kilsyth Rangers make a loss against Bankies

Rangers went into the match against the promotion challengers with high hopes, following their success against Maybole the previous week, their first win since November.

It was a tough, close run affair, but in the end a super strike by Bankies striker Joel Kasubandi was enough to give them the points.

Clydebank won the toss and elected to play with the stiff breeze for the first 45 minutes.

They came close in the first few minutes with a header by Ryan Holms going narrowly over.

The game was being played at a pretty high tempo, end to end stuff, with chances being made by both sides.

David Waters put a superb cross right in front of the Clydebank goal but there were no takers for the ball.

Kilsith ’keeper Chris Prior was in good form, making a couple of good stops, and Paul Doyle did well to thwart Kasubandi when he made a great run into the box.

As half-time approached it seemed that the teams would go in level but with a minute to go Kasubandi hit a superb first time volley into the net from about 10 yards.

Rangers made a good start to the second half, without seriously threating the visitors’ goal.

But by the hour mark Clydebank were back in charge and made a few chances although few of their attempts were on target.

Kasubandi, who had done very little apart from his goal, went off to be replaced by Steven Young.

A little later Rangers replaced Joe Barclay with Danny O’Neill, but he also had very little luck although worked tirelessly as always.

Tempers were fraying a little and the referee, who had been fairly tolerant up till then, began to issue yellow cards with abandon.

Rangers were still well in the game and stepped up the pressure as it entered its last stages.

However they were reduced to 10 men when Doyle was red carded for an arm in a defender’s face in a goalmouth scramble, although it did not appear to be deliberate.

O’Neill had two good chances to salvage a point as the game went into added time but one attempt was blocked and the other went just wide.

With seconds to go he was given a second yellow card and Rangers finished with nine men, but it was all over by then.

Clydebank maintained their title challenge and Rangers will need to do more in front of goal to add to their points total.

The defeat leaves Kilsyth sixth in the table.

Next up is a match away to Rutherglen Glencairn this Saturday, kick-off 2pm.

Kilsyth: Prior, Waters, K McBride, Doyle, Reid, McGee, Pearson, Kelly, Barclay, P McBride, Prentice. Subs. Hamilton, Smith, Welsh, O’Neill, Hogg.