Stranraer 3 Clyde 0: Comfortable win for Blues on day to forget for Bully Wee

Clyde travelled to Stranraer with the confidence of a victory at Falkirk and also having despatched the Stair Park men comfortably at Broadwood earlier in the season.

But it was the home side who started well and earning a corner after good work down the right by James Hilton the Blues took the lead in the sixth minute.

Jordan Allan swung the ball over to the back post and David Mitchell could only help Adam Cummins’s header into the net.

Clyde responded and earned a free-kick but David Goodwillie hit the wall and Chris McStay fired high and wide.

Goodwillie had a much better chance moments later when put clean through on goal but Blues keeper Max Currie did extremely well to block his effort, allowing Lee Hamilton to complete the clearance.

Currie then denied Martin McNiff with a header from a corner as the Bully Wee piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser.

Goodwillie was played in again by McStay and hit the target, only to be denied yet again by the excellent Currie.

After a spell of midfield attrition Stranraer came alive again. Mitchell saved comfortably from a Hilton free-kick and then Scott Rumsby had to desperately hack away an Andy Stirling cross before it reached Hilton at the back post.

The Blues had the ball in the net from the resulting corner through Cummins again at the back post but the visitors were reprieved by the award of a free-kick for some pushing.

Mark Lamont swung a free kick into the Blues box with McNiff a regular target but despite winning the header he directed it well wide.

Six minutes from the break the Blues doubled their lead. Ryan Thomson gained possession on the edge of the Clyde box before rolling into the path of Scott Robertson who fired an unstoppable low drive beyond Mitchell, leaving the Clyde coaching staff with much to ponder at the break.

Stranraer would have been expecting a barrage from Clyde after the restart but this failed to materialise; the Bully Wee not really threatening.

Indeed just before the hour mark, with very little happening ,Danny Lennon made a double change, introducing Barry Cuddihy and Darren Smith to proceedings.

Goodwillie had another chance that Stranraer blocked but they too were unfortunate not to score again when a Robertson rocket was blocked and Thomson fired inches on the turn from the rebound.

Eventually Goodwillie did beat Currie in the 65th minute. Rounding the goalkeeper and sliding the ball towards goal he was denied by a terrific goal line clearance from Robertson.

Moments later he had another chance but could only look on aghast as Currie denied him with an outstretched leg.

With quarter of an hour remaining and all the changes made the pattern of play in the second half remained the same with the Bully Wee, for all their efforts, not able to exert any meaningful pressure on the home goal.

Smith had an effort from the left blocked by Jamie Hamill and then Connor McManus did likewise when Liam Allison lined up from the edge of the box.

At the other McManus should have done better, firing high and wide from the edge of the box after good work on the right from Stirling.

With the game already over Craig Howie fouled Mark Stewart inside the box after losing possession to him and the Blues striker stepped up to send Mitchell the wrong way from the penalty spot.

With the Blues on the rampage they even had time to create a couple more chances before the final whistle sounded and ended a forgettable afternoon for Danny Lennon’s side.