Despite having the best of the game, Forfar returned from New Douglas Park with a solitary point against a determined Clyde side, though the Loons had most of the play. This hard-fought draw, combined with Bonnyrigg Rose’s loss to East Fife, pulls Forfar closer to safety at the foot of League 2, having come into Saturday’s crucial away clash with the ‘Bully Wee’ on the back of an inspiring run of form; taking 13 points from their last 6 matches, with recent away form being particularly impressive in the ‘Great Escape’ from the dreaded bottom place in League 2.
This game started brightly for Forfar, Josh Skelly having a looping header cleared off the line by the ever-dependable Craig Howie in the 2nd minute. The following ten minutes set the untidy tone for the rest of the match: Forfar having a few forays up the left-hand side but plays frustratingly broke down. In the 16th minute, after a goalmouth, ping-pong scramble on the 6-yard line, Logan Dunnachie (ex-Forfar) scraped the ball past Marc McCallum to make it 1-0 to the home side. A distinct whiff of handball surrounded the goal and despite very vocal protests from the Forfar players and fans, the goal stood.
More kick-and-rush followed until the 25th minute. Brad Rodden easily beat his man on the near the touchline, to fire in a wonderful cross that evaded the entire Clyde defence, allowing Rueben McAllister a simple bullet header past the flailing Jay Kennedy (also ex-Forfar).
Forfar continued to press and had more possession, but it was Clyde who had the best two chances next. Firstly, Redfern, in a good position in the box, fired a weak shot, off-target, then Taylor Sutherland, shooting at an angle in the 6-yard box, was foiled by a goal-saving challenge from Mackenzie Lemon, sliding in to make a textbook tackle to clear the danger. As the half ended, both sides made a series of unforced errors, Forfar having a free kick in a promising position at the edge of the ‘D’, but the kick led to nothing and that was half time.
Forfar came out brightly after the break and in the 46th minute, Stuart Morrison met a probing McAlister cross, to head the ball home. However, referee Colin Whyte spotted something that nobody else in the stadium could see, blowing for a foul on the keeper, thus cancelling out the goal.
Play continued to be scrappy and Alex Ferguson got into the referee’s book, whilst Clyde’s Andy Murdoch blazed his shot over the bar from close in. In 54 minutes, the Forfar crowd was treated to a very unusual situation as Jay Kennedy appeared still to be handling the ball around 3 yards outside the box as he made a nervy clearance. The freekick that followed was wasted though. The game continued to be a skitty affair and a rash of bookings followed. Skelly had a great chance, shooting from an acute angle across the goal and in the 62nd minute, Jim Weir freshened things up, sending on the more physical Russell Mclean for Josh Skelly.
Forfar continued to push forward, having a couple of shots off-target, whilst Clyde brought on the attack-minded Williamson. In the 70th minute, Kyle Connell was through on Marc McCallum in the Forfar goal, but his weak shot was smothered by the big Forfar keeper. The next 15 minutes was punctuated by a series of errors: Clyde wasting a brace of free kicks, Darren Hynes throwing the ball straight out from a throw-in and the Clyde keeper continually kicking the ball straight out of play.
Jim Weir looked to freshen things up in 72 minutes, replacing Reuben McAllister and the dogged Danny Denholm with Ross Mclean and Nathan Cannon. Stuart Morrison had to be replaced in the 84th minute, after a heavy clash, as Jim Weir again looked to make things more attacking by bringing on Kieran Inglis and Sam Young. Clyde had another chance in the 85th minute, as Dom Docherty, clear through on goal, shot weakly at the keeper.
What looked like a horrible challenge in the 88th minute - a very high boot on Forfar’s Mackenzie Lemon – led to a booking for Taylor Sutherland as Lemon thankfully made a quick recovery. The game petered out in the last few minutes with some aimless passing out by Clyde and Forfar being equally wasteful from set pieces.
The stats at the end make this look like a 50/50 game but Forfar looked the more dangerous throughout, whilst Clyde looked sloppy, and their fans probably went home happier than the impressive Forfar contingent.
Next up - Bonnyrigg Rose ...
