Limping to the finish line

In Saturday’s game at Titwood in the first division of the Aberdeen Asset Management league, the visitors won 3-0, and nobody could claim there was anything less than justice in the result.

But in the Arthur McKay Scottish Cup the following day, against the same opposition at the same venue, it could and perhaps should have been a different story altogether.

Seeking a place in the quarter-finals, the Clydesdale men swarmed to a 3-0 lead by half-time, with goals from Ciaran Crawford, Rory McCann and John Martin.

But it became unmistakeably a game of two halves from the restart, as — all within 30 seconds — a Clydesdale attack was intercepted and, with a minimal number of passes, Grange found the back of the home team’s net.

This completely unsettled Ross McPherson’s men, who seemed rooted to the spot as Grange proceeded to add a further five goals to their tally.

Although Crawford added a fourth goal for Clydesdale in the closing minutes, the 6-4 defeat after being 3-0 up was more than some spectators could bear to watch.

Meanwhile, in the women’s competitions, Milne Craig Clydesdale Western moved into joint second place in the first division table with a measured 3-1 away victory over Grange Edinburgh Ladies.

But Giffnock, the Glasgow southside’s other top team, have been unable to lift themselves into the top five places before the league splits, and so will continue their campaign to lead the next group by the end of the season.