Edinburgh City keeper Andrew Stobie rescues precious point

Dougie Gair (in yellow) challenges John Gibson. Picture: Chris Johnston | SportPix.org.uk

The visitors had the clearest of what few clear-cut chances were created, with Andrew Stobie producing two excellent saves late on to keep City level.

“Two cracking saves from Andrew is what everybody will focus on, but prior to that Sparky [Mark McConnell] had two really good chances but he’s tried to be too precise,” said City boss Gary Jardine.

“Early on I felt Ouzy [See] should have done better but it’s a good save from the big goalie. While you might look at it and say Andrew’s had a couple of good saves in the last five minutes, a draw was maybe fair but we really should have been ahead by then.”

John Gibson did indeed do well to prevent See opening the scoring after five minutes, coming off his line quickly to block the striker’s attempted lob.

Stobie was then at full stretch at the other end, showing great agility to tip over Marc McKenzie’s brilliant curling effort that was heading for the top corner.

Both teams created precious little going forward, both defences comfortable in dealing with what was mostly long balls forward. Aaron Dunmore’s shot that floated into Gibson’s arms was about the sum of efforts on goal since the opening stages.

The second half followed much the same pattern as the first. McConnell’s flicked backward header from Josh Walker’s cross was harmless enough, while Clyde enjoyed possession but were short on ideas on how to break down City at the other end.

There was a rare clear-cut opportunity six minutes after the hour when Peter MacDonald met David Gormley’s deep, in-swinging cross at the back post, only to be denied by a fine reaction stop from Stobie.

McConnell took a touch before sending a full volley over the bar soon after as the game finally began to open up.

MacDonald went close again, this time from a McKenzie cross, helping it on only to see it drift narrowly wide with Stobie struggling to reach it.

City probably should have broken the deadlock with ten remaining. Walker’s cross from the left found it’s way to McConnell after a scramble, but the midfielder’s snap-shot was off target after signing a right boot at it from ten yards.

Gormley then missed the chance of the game to win it in stoppage time. He latched on to a bouncing ball and was clean through with only Stobie to beat. The keeper read it well though, and produced a brilliant low save to effectively earn his team the point.

Jardine is short of bodies ahead of next week’s trip to Annan after Joe Mbu was forced off in the second half. “It was a sore one,” he confirmed. “The doc’s had a look at it but we just need to wait until the swelling goes down on his knee and take it from there. He’s had problems with it before, but I think those knees are creaking when he’s walking along the street! If he’s any chance of playing I guarantee he’ll be out there.”

Opposite number Barry Ferguson felt his team should have left wit all three points. “There’s no doubt we should have won the game,” he said. “I don’t need to tell them, they know themselves. Peaso [MacDonald] and Gorms [Gormley] should have finished. Second half was all us. I knew the first half with the conditions we just had to come in level and then have a go at them the second half and that’s what we did.”

Edinburgh City: Stobie, Dunsmore, Mbu (Donaldson 70), Harrison, Walker, McConnell, Caddow, Gair, See (Guthrie 87), Dunn (McFarland 89), Allan.

Clyde: Gibson, McNeil, McMillan, Johnston, Smith, McNiff, Higgins (Flynn 80), McGlaughlin, McKenzie (Millar 90), MacDonald, Gormley.

Referee: Graham Beaton.

Attendance: 302.