1-6: M1s vs Clydesdale (Premiership) - 20/11/21
Not all stories have a happy ending.
To put it kindly, the first half of Western Lettings Hillhead’s season has been… interesting. Won a few, lost a few more. When it comes to avoiding draws they’re top of the league, so that’s one accolade they’re desperate to cling on to. However, when coming up against teams near to them in the table, many results have slipped away by the narrowest of margins. This last league game before the Christmas break vs Clydesdale seemed a good opportunity for the Western Lettings camp to rectify this, and take some points off a decent, well-drilled team.
The cavalry arrived at Titwood under a gloomy southside sky. Spirits were high coming off the back of a comfortable win against bottom-club Dundee Wanderers. As the Hillhead boys assembled on the damp paving stones that were their changing room, donning the eye-catching ‘yellow top/black shorts/red socks’ combo, it felt like a big performance was coming.
Would today be the day it all clicked for them? Would they get to enjoy their Christmas dinners with fond memories of a strong finish to 2021? Would they make head coach Keith Joss the proudest man in Glasgow with a derby-day victory?
No, is the answer.
First blood probably should have gone to Hillhead. Catching Clydesdale napping at the first whistle, a few incisive passes later Hillhead found themselves with a three-on-one within the first minute. Notorious strong starter Vijay Trivedy beat his man, gave the next defender the eyes before slipping it left to the ever-dependable Blackie. The midfield maestro took a touch, and with fire in his eyes, lifted his stick to deliver the final blow. And then … Whoosh!
An eerie silence descended over the pitch, one that would unfortunately be heard again that day. Oh yes. The unmistakable sound of a swing-and-a-miss.
Now, some would say that this was the worst swing-and-a-miss of the day, and that maybe Blackie, or possibly workhorse Stewart Cartmill, who claims he got the faintest of touches with his swing-and-a-miss, should have been voted DoD and made to write this match report. Or perhaps it should have been Andrew Duke, for reasons that will become clear. But sometimes democracy doesn’t work.
After this Clydesdale took advantage and scored the opening goal, and then soon got another. Hillhead’s top scorer Fraser Ward kept the Hornets afloat, though, burying a lovely flick from a PC low the keeper’s right.
What followed was Hillhead’s best spell of the game in the second quarter, as control of the game shifted back and forth, both teams creating opportunities. Some fine saves from Ewan Campbell kept Hillhead in it, while the evergreen Graeme Campbell caused constant problems to the Dale defence with his MoM performance. The game was very much even, and it felt like the result would be decided by whoever could take their chances.
And then Clydesdale took their chances.
Hillhead went down fighting, of course. Vijay Trivedy made an outrageous attempt for the ball from two yards behind their attacker, decking him superbly and then somehow getting carded and conceding a short in the process. Veteran Iain Hilton decided he wanted a slice of that action as well, receiving what seemed to be a harsh yellow for his troubles after a firm challenge.
Andrew Duke, back where he belongs at his boyhood club, was then involved in the most controversial moment of the match. At this point the game was gone at 4-1 (or 3-1, or 5-1 – Hillhead were definitely losing), but the away side were still creating scorable chances. In one, Dukey was clean through with just the goalie to beat, before getting swindled by the oldest trick in the book, with the Dale defender exhibiting some Sergio Ramos-level gamesmanship when calling out for Dukey to square the ball to him.
Which he did.
But that unsporting and rather amusing incident aside, Clydesdale were worthy winners, even if the 6-1 scoreline at the final whistle was a bit misleading.
Final word unfortunately has to go to the day’s most impressive swing-and-a-miss from John Reid, earning him his first ever Hillhead DoD, despite a plethora (FYI Fraser, ‘plethora’ means abundance, and JLS and Grant, ‘abundance’ means A LOT) of errors from defence to attack.
It began with a magnificent first touch after a dodgy bobbly pass (was it from Tom Cole? Probably), taking his marker out the game. He then glided past another to get into the D, the defender trying in vain to foul him, and then, visibly burst after his exertions, the big man up front took an almighty swing and …
Stuck it straight into the top corner, without falling over or anything.
Fact.
Now Hillhead look ahead to next week’s cup match vs. Uddingston, seeking revenge after their recent 2-0 defeat by the same opponent, before making the move indoors. Still plenty to play for in all competitions!
Western Lettings
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Western Lettings is an ARLA licensed, multi-award winning independent letting agent in the West End of Glasgow. Ever since our business was established in 2008 our objective has been to continue specialising in letting and managing property without becoming side-tracked by other ventures, such as property sales and development.