Clydebank were forced to settle for a point on Saturday after two unfortunate own goals saw them held to a 2-2 draw at home to Cumnock.
Nicky Little equalled the goalscoring record of 65 goals after Del Hepburn opened the scoring, but own goals from Sean Higgins and Andy Paterson handed the Ayrshire side a way back into it as Bankies were held to a draw.
Bankies boss Kieran McAnespie entrusted youth by making four changes to the starting XI that saw Dylan Coll make his competitive debut at centre back alongside fellow academy graduate Matt McLean.
After a fairly even start to proceedings at New Tinto Park, Bankies opened the scoring after nine minutes. Debutant Coll’s ball over the top caught out the Cumnock back line, with Hepburn able to run on to the ball and curl it past Ally Semple to grab his ninth goal of the season.
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However, Cumnock pulled back level just three minutes later after some naive defending saw Bankies gift Nock a free-kick on the edge the box. Paul Burns took the resulting set piece, with Sean Higgins somehow getting the ball stuck under his feet and allowing it to sneak over the line past Scott Morrison.
With Jordan Shelvey enjoying his best season in a Bankies shirt to date, the striker was twice guilty of missing gilt edged one-on-one chances. First, Shelvey delayed his shot and allowed Semple to make the save, before trying to dink the onrushing keeper but his effort went wide of the post.
After the break neither side played particularly well with Burns the only player registering a shot on target with Morrison on hand to thwart the attacker’s tame effort.
Then came the save of the game as goalscorer Burns struck the inside of the post with veteran keeper Morrison diving to the feet of a striker to deny him an easy tap in.
Bankies thought they had grabbed all three points 75 minutes in when good play from Little saw him nod it into the box, with Shelvey using his pace to beat his man to the ball. Stephen McKenna bundled Shelvey over inside the area, with referee Callum Scott pointing immediately to the spot.
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Little assumed responsibility, firing home his 23rd of the season to equal Mark Hailstones goalscoring record of 65 in the juniors.
But, four minutes later, Cumnock equalised in almost identical fashion to their first after another free-kick was given away on the edge of the box. Burns’ effort was tipped on to the bar by Morrison, before the rebound also struck the underside of the bar, only for the ball to hit stand-in skipper Paterson on its way in.
Bankies will now look to avenge their 4-0 defeat to Auchinleck Talbot when they welcome them to Holm Park next Wednesday. Kick-off at Lochburn Park will be at 7pm.
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