Millar delighted with players' attitude
Partick Thistle 2 Clyde 1 ALBA Challenge Cup First Round
FOR the travelling Clyde support Partick Thistle's team on Saturday might have been more familiar than their own.
The Jags featured former Bully Wee goalkeeper Bryn Halliwell and three of last year's loan signing at Broadwood, Paddy Boyle, Willie Kinniburgh and Kris Doolan.
It was Doolan who had the first chance of the game as Paul Paton found him unmarked at the back post but the header was over.
However, on 12 minutes the home side did strike as Simon Donnelly's backheel sent Liam Buchanan clear and he rounded JC Hutchison is the Clyde goal, Ross McMillan slipped as he tried to get back and the ball trickled into the net.
Strachan, who was named club captain last week, set up Connor Stevenson and Dingwall but neither could find the target.
The visitors equalised in 31 minutes as Strachan took advantage of Kinniburgh fouling Marc McCusker at the edge of the box to curl a free kick into the top corner.
Two minutes later Clyde almost shot themselves in the foot as Hutchison pickled up a back pass in the area but then made amends by keeping out Bryan Hodge's fierce strike.
At half time a hamstring pull forced Clyde head coach to replace Ally Park with Ian Gray and substitution may have caused a brief lapse in defence as Doolan stole in to meet a David Rowson cross but once again Hutchison denied him.
The Bully Wee recovered and took control of the game but all they could muster was comfortable saves from Halliwell to deny Strachan and Dingwall and a great block on the edge of the box by John Robertson.
However, as the part-timers started to tire Partick grabbed the winner as a slight deflection took Ryan McBeth's shot beyond Hutchison.
A minute from time McCusker almost grabbed an equaliser as he ran almost half the length of the pitch, holding off three Thistle defenders, but was eventually pushed a little wide and his shot was inevitably off target.
Clyde head coach Stuart Millar was fairly philosophical after the defeat believing there is better to come.
He said: "You have to put the game into context as we are a part-time third division with 10 new players in the 15 side playing an established first division side who are full-time.
"I was delighted with the attitude of the players and while I know the fans will be disappointed at the result hopefully they saw enough good things to fill them with hope for the new season.
"I said to the lads that in some games you don't get what you deserve and that was the case against Partick.
"However, next up we have another first division side in Cowdenbeath and while the game will be equally difficult we will be another week along in our preparation so if we fight like we did against Thistle we may have a chance to spring an upset and might even have a couple of new players in by then."
PARTICK THISTLE: Halliwell, Paton, Boyle, Hodge, Robertson, Kinniburgh (Bannigan 72), MacBeth, Rowson, Buchanan (Burns 82), Donnelly, Doolan (Grehan 68). Subs not used: Hinchcliffe, McGeough.
CLYDE: Hutchison, Girvan (Mills 82), McGowan, McMillan, Park (Gray 46), Stevenson, Finlayson, McCusker, Dingwall (Stewart 66), Sweeney, Strachan.
Referee: Frank McDermott.
Attendance: 1,759.
News & Chronicle Man of the Match: John Sweeney.
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Weather for Cumbernauld
Saturday 11 February 2012
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