A goal of the season contender from Hamish Ritchie together with a second half header from Ayrton Sonkur saw The Spartans extend their unbeaten SPFL 2 run against hosts Clyde to seven games at New Douglas Park.
With three games in the forthcoming seven days, Spartans Manager Douglas Samuel made changes from last weekend’s XI, with Hamish Ritchie, Mark Stowe and Liam Morgan on from the off, the latter making his starting debut since his loan move from Hamilton Accies.
The recent form guide was a mixed bag for both sides however Spartans came into the game with the momentum in this fixture and looked to add to the win achieved last time the two teams met each other.
That extended run required an early Blair Carswell intervention when ‘The Cat’ was called upon to punch the ball clear from a Clyde corner as the hosts looked to break the deadlock.
Liam Morgan then took off on a solo run in familiar surroundings at his parent club’s home ground, getting into the box only to be snuffled out before recycling to Callum Booth who sent the ball deep to find Cammy Russell who’s effort failed to trouble Jay Kennedy.
The dark clouds over Hamilton offered a prolonged period of heavy rain forcing the ball-boys seek shelter and giving the synthetic surface a little bit extra zip underfoot.
It could have become greyer for the visitors had Ayrton Sonkur not flung his frame of gargantuan proportions at the feet of Taylor Sutherland who was played in behind the Spartans defence and as he looked set to pull the proverbial trigger, Man of the Match Sonkur was there to make the most telling of tackles.
There were then hearts in collective Spartans mouths moments later when Scott Williamson pounced to steal the ball from Kevin Waugh in the centre circle. It offered him a straight one-on-one shoot out with Carswell however the Clyde striker’s effort went well wide to offer the biggest let off in Hamilton since last year’s Bonfire Night fireworks display.
With the game heading to a stalemate at the break, the half time team talks were given a shake up when James Craigen’s deep delivery from out wide found Hamish Ritchie at the back post and he unleashed an unstoppable volley beyond Kennedy to open the scoring.
HT: Clyde FC 0-1 The Spartans
The opening stages of the second half can be filed under ‘one for the purists’ as neither side managed to get the game under control as the wind continued to offer its own challenges.
A Cammy Russell corner ten minutes into the period was swung into the near post where Ayrton Sonkur out-muscled his marker to get in front of Kennedy to head into the net before wheeling away to celebrate in front of the merry band of travelling Spartans support in the stand.
The first of the changes came shortly after with Jamie Dishington replacing Mark Stowe. This was followed by a further brace of personnel swaps with Brogan Walls and Lewis Hunter entering the fray with scorer Ritchie and his provider Craigen earning a rest.
Clyde looked to find a way back into the game however a 20 yard effort from Liam Scullion was easily stopped by Blair Carswell.
It was to be one of the few remaining notable action moments in a game that Spartans dominated throughout.
Clyde emptied their bench with twenty left on the clock as they looked for a way back into the game however the Spartans defence remained resolute, keeping the Bully Wee at bay to pick up their 13th clean sheet of the season.
One final change for the tourists came in the shape of Blair Henderson who swapped with Liam Morgan.
With the game entering its final moments, Brogan Walls and Ross Lyon were to tangle as the Spartans man progressed into the box. Both players ending their respective journeys on the ground however neither appearing to be the transgressor in the eyes of Referee Soutar.
FT: Clyde FC 0-2 The Spartans
Speaking post-match, a delighted Hamish Ritchie said, “It was a hard-fought game and Clyde are always tricky to play against. It was a great result after last week and it was important to bounce back and get the three points.”
Match Report by Mark Brown & Chantelle Davie
