THERE will be First Division football at Broadwood for Clyde next season as the home side completed the double over Airdrie in the First Division Play-off Final, making them the only First Division side in the three-year history of the play-offs to avoid defeat.
Airdrie will now be hoping that rumours of Gretna's demise have not been exaggerated and they can move into the higher league with the shake-up that would ensue if the Borderers fold.
The home fans had a shock in store at the start of the match wh
en the teams were announced and the name of Jorg Albertz was missing, manager John Brown keeping the omission of the German midfielder as a result of his coaching commitments a secret until just before kick off.
A frantic opening period saw plenty of passion from both sides to get the fans excited but little in the way of chances until Pat Clarke's 20-yard strike on seven minutes that Stephen Robertson in the visitors' goal finger tipped over.
In 12 minutes a Paul Lovering foul on Billy Gibson gave the Bully Wee a free kick 22 yards from goal but Steven Masterton thundered his effort into the wall when perhaps some guile would have had Airdrie fretting.
Airdrie's plans were dealt a blow in 18 minutes when defender Marc Smyth was carried off after a head knock sustained in an accidental collision with Ruari MacLennan.
MacLennan's next involvement in the game was much more positive when his low shot looked net bound all the way until Robertson got down low to his right to touch the ball round for a corner.
The sought-after Alan Russell had Airdrie's best chances of the opening half when he volleyed for goal only to see his effort flash inches wide and just before the break, the striker was clean through on goal but David Hutton scampered from his goal to block.
Gary McSwegan struck with just over two minutes gone in the second period when he ran on to a Chris Higgins punt to apply the deftest of touches past the advancing Robertson. Pat Clarke came close to adding another shortly afterwards but his header flashed over.
Airdrie looked to have a way back into the tie in 52 minutes when Brian Prunty was brought down in the box by Higgins but referee John Underhill was not interested.
Clyde grabbed an impressive second when MacLennan fed Billy Gibson on the right and he crossed for Clarke to net with an overhead kick from six yards out. Seconds before the goal Brown had been sportingly urging his side to kick the ball out as Airdrie's Lovering lay injured, however the defender got back to his feet and the Clyde players carried on to great effect.
Sub Gary Arbuckle went close as Airdrie chased the game and goalscorer Clarke should have done better than blaze high over when Robertson hacked a clearance into his path.
Russell tried his best to grab a consolation; however, his late header slipped wide of the post.
The full article contains 528 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
