St. Mirren 0 Clyde 0

Last updated : 06 November 2004 By Footymad Previewer

Neither manager left St Mirren Park pleased with the performance with the first half in particular a turgid affair.

The busiest people at the ground were the ball boys who were kept on their toes retrieving a host of misplaced passes which drifted out of play.

Neither keeper was tested beyond clutching ineffective crosses and corners.

Jimmy Gibson's early drive sailed high over the Saints' bar and Kirk Broadfoot's low reply after half an hour was equally wide of a post.

Three minutes from the break Clyde nearly scored when Ian Harty played in Gibson but veteran Andy Millen made a vital block.

Thankfully the second half was livelier.

Substitute Aron Wilford combined with Harty to allow Darren Sheridan to fire in a low glancing shot but Craig Hinchcliffe was in perfect position to save.

Just after the hour, Millen and Hinchcliffe fell as they tried to thwart Harty and the ball fell to Wilford but, from the edge of the box, Wilford's attempt to send the ball into an empty net was woeful, ending nearer the corner flag.

At the other end, St. Mirren stepped up the pressure. Brian McGinty robbed Harty and flashed a low cross across the six-yard box but no Saint could capitalise.

Broadfoot surged forward and flung in a high cross but substitute Alan Russell could not connect.

Then John Baird, on for John O'Neill, hooked a David van Zanten cross into Bryn Halliwell's midriff.

Clyde, relying on a break, were let down constantly by the basic ineptitude of their front men.

In the closing seconds, Laurie Ellis crossed for Baird to head wide and the subdued reception as the players left the pitch was indicative of the crowd's dismay at the lack of genuine entertainment.