MacDonald double not enough as Clyde go down at Annan

The two sides served up a keenly contested match played in atrocious wet and windy conditions at Galabank with the result in doubt until the final whistle.

But it was Annan who lifted the points as youngster Rabin Omar grabbed the winner in the 82nd minute with a well executed goal which unlocked the Clyde defence for the third time.

The visitors started promisingly and in the opening minute Peter McDonald drifted behind Raffi Krissianan and although his shot rifled over the bar it sent out a clear warning to Annan.

Annan replied almost immediately when Rabin Omar homed in on keeper John Gibson who saved the day for the Clyde.

Barry Ferguson’s side were forced to make a change in the 15th minute when Jordan Lowden had to leave the field injured.

Matty Flynn, making a return to Galabank along with another ex-Annan player Martin McNiff, tested Blair Currie in the 25th minute but the well struck shot was easily saved by the Annan keeper.

Annan went ahead in the 38th minute with a well constructed move with Rabine Omar flicking the ball into the path of David McKenna who sent in a low screamer into the bottom corner of the net from 22 yards past the outstretched left arm of keeper Gibson.

Clyde finished the half pushing forward forcing a couple of corners which were well defended by Annan.

Clyde made a promising start to the second half taking the game to Annan and they squared the match in the 51st minute.

Krissian misjudged the pace of Dylan Easton’s through ball, leaving it for Currie, and MacDonald took advantage of the situation to finish with a clinical low shot past the keeper.

The visitors were on the ascendancy and in the 56th minute Currie pulled off a stunning double save to deny Easton and McDonald when it looked odds on that a goal was on the cards.

At the other end Annan created a good opening but McKenna shot straight into the arms of Gibson.

The home team went ahead for the second time in 71 minutes. Once again it was a fine strike, Darren Ramsay’s low raking shot from 25 yards nestling into the corner of the net past the keeper’s outstretched arms.

Annan came close to increasing their lead five minutes later Omar’s header from Ryan Finnie’s cross went narrowly.

But Clyde hit back to level 12 minutes from time.

They won a free-kick for Watson’s rash challenge on MacDonald and the Clyde striker’s well flighted shot beat the wall and Currie to end into the net via the underside of the bar for his sedond equaliser of the game.

Both teams were going all out to secure the victory and the pendulum finally swung again in Annan’s favour in the 82nd minute.

Max Wright’s perfectly weighted pass picked out the run of Omar who guided the ball past the advancing Gibson to secure the points.

Annan were clinical where it mattered in the final third of the field. Clyde on the other hand played neat controlled football mostly in their own half but did not contain the same threat that Annan carried up front.