Kirkintilloch Rob Roy grab lifeline with win at Clyebank

reports Neil Anderson.

In their first visit to the revamped Holm Park, Rob Roy dug deep to secure only their second league win of the season and claw back some of the gap to the sides above them at the foot of the Premiership table.

Rob Roy started on the attack and Martin McBride’s 25-yard shot was well saved by home keeper Scott Morrison.

McBride had another effort deflected for a corner before the visitors thought they had taken the lead in the 24th minute. A deflected Cameron Hayes cross was knocked in by Ewan MacPherson, but the assistant referee flagged for offside.

Clydebank were dangerous on the break and Rabs keeper Matthew Kerr did well to punch a Conor Lyness shot against the woodwork and away to safety.

The drama started in the 34th minute when Roy forward Gary Carroll was shown a second yellow card for handball when barged from behind by Jamie Darroch.

Then a clash between Alex Cassells and Bankies’ Jordan Kennedy left both with blood injuries, Kennedy unable to resume, before the referee went off injured with a pulled calf and the assistant took over.

When play eventually resumed Paul Hewitt saw his shot go wide for Clydebank.

But it was Rob Roy who took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Scott Forrester bulleted a header beyond Morrison from a Michael Tuohy corner.

After the break Cassells failed to recover from the earlier head knock and had to be replaced by Jordan Currie-McLean, but this made no difference to the Roy’s resolve and the defence continued to stand firm.

In the 70th minute Kerr then did well to save from Christopher Black before new referee Campbell brought consternation to the visitors by awarding a free kick to the Bankies on the edge of the box. Captain Scott Walker was booked for his protests.

Five minutes later Campbell astounded the visiting support when he awarded a penalty kick when Hewitt fell in the box when challenged by Forrester.

Nicky Little sent Kerr the wrong way to bring the home side level.

To their credit, the ten man Rabs kept looking to win the game and four minutes later they stunned the home support when, from a break down the right, Currie-McLean found space to curl a low shot beyond Morrison and hit the net at the far post.

There then followed a tense final ten minutes as Rob Roy defended stoutly and coped well with everything that Clydebank threw at them, whilst being dangerous on the break.

Pace from Hayes and MacPherson on the flanks proved to be a constant threat to the home side while there was no way through the back four for the Bankies. When Campbell blew the final whistle it was met with a resounding cheer from the great travelling support as they celebrated an oustanding team performance, a well-deserved victory and a potential turning point in the season.