Clyde beat Airdrie in thriller to end barren home run

It was certainly the season to be jolly for Clyde fans at Broadwood on Saturday as they watched a Christmas cracker of a win.
Alex Petkov celebrates his goal (pic: Craig Black Photography)Alex Petkov celebrates his goal (pic: Craig Black Photography)
Alex Petkov celebrates his goal (pic: Craig Black Photography)

An early Alex Petkov goal and a spectacular double from David Goodwillie saw off North Lanarkshire neighbours and title contenders Airdrie for the Bully Wee’s first home win in over three months.

Clyde needed a bright start to lift the gloom after their heavy loss at Montrose.

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They got it courtesy of Petkov’s first goal in senior football; perhaps not so much an early Christmas present and more of a parting gift from the Bulgarian under-21 international who is due to return to parent club Hearts in January.

With just seven minutes on the clock Mark Lamont swung a tempting free-kick into the box and Petkov reacted quickest to get beyond the dithering Airdrie defence and steer a header over the equally hesitant David Hutton.

Clyde took the lead at an identical stage in their previous home game with Dumbarton, only to lose 2-1 after conceding a quick equaliser.

They seemed determined not to make the same mistake and Goodwillie was only just short of latching onto a lovely through ball from Chris Johnston.

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There was another let-off for the visitors on 18 minutes when Airdrie skipper Sean Crighton barged Ally Love to the ground to concede an utterly needless free-kick near the bye-line.

Despite the tight angle Lamont this time went for goal and almost caught out Hutton, the diving keeper just able to stop the ball crossing the line.

But he was helpless three minutes later when Goodwillie scored a stunning second.

Airdrie failed to clear their lines from a Johnston corner and when Tony Wallace eventually headed the ball back into the danger area the Clyde skipper hooked a sensational volley over the helpless Hutton.

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It was almost three on the half-hour, Hutton having to dive full-length to keep out an Ally Love thunderbolt from 25 yards.

With a run of seven wins from eight games going into the match, Airdrie would have been expected to mount some kind of response - and it came as half-time approached.

David Mitchell pulled off a superb double save to deny Alistair Roy and Paul McKay, but had no chance when the Diamonds’ deficit was halved four minutes from the break.

There were Clyde shouts for handball as a corner landed in the box but nothing was given and the ball then broke to Dale Carrick who hammered it into the roof of the net.

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Airdrie laid siege to the Clyde goal as they endeavoured to get back on level terms before the break and looked to have done it when Calum Gallagher rounded Mitchell only for his shot to be somehow kept out.

The interval came at a good time for Clyde as they were able to regroup - and despite Airdrie continuing to press in the second half they were unable to build up the same kind of momentum.

McKay flashed a header just over and it took a terrific Ray Grant challenge to deny Gallagher just as he looked set to pull the trigger.

But Clyde also had their moments, Johnston skewing wide from the edge of the box after a great Goodwillie set-up and then just failing to get his head to a Lamont cross.

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Goodwillie also put a header wide, from a difficult angle, and McKay had to scramble back desperately to prevent the ball crossing the line after Darren Smith had lobbed the advancing Hutton.

But Danny Lennon’s side had the final say in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Goodwillie smashed a loose ball over Hutton from the edge of the box to seal a fine victory.