Clydebank moved up to fifth spot in the West Region Premiership with a comfortable 2-0 win over Benburb on Saturday.
Aaron Millar’s quick-fire double late in the first half was enough for Bankies, who have now lost just one of their last seven games.
Boss Gordon Moffat made just one change from the side that drew away to Hurlford last weekend, with Craig Holmes replacing unavailable Bankies captain Alan Vezza in the heart of midfield.
For the second successive week, both sides struggled to get to grips with the conditions as Storm Dennis battered Holm Park during the opening exchanges.
After a quarter of an hour, Bankies thought they had made the breakthrough.
Cammy McClair let the ball drop and struck an excellent long range effort low past Connelly, but his effort had deflected off Millar, who was deemed to be in an offside position and the goal was chopped off.
READ MORE: Clydebank boss praises goal hero Aaron Miller after quickfire Beith double
Then came the Bens’ best chance of the entire game. A quick interchange down the left saw the ball crossed for Willie McLaren, who was unmarked at the back post.
As his header looked like it was about to nestle in the bottom corner, Bankies left back Paul Byrne threw himself at it and got the neatest of touches to deny a near certain goal.
The visitors would soon rue that chance, as Millar scored twice in as many minutes to take the game beyond them. First, Nicky Little drifted out wide on the right and stood the ball up for the striker, who scored with a combination of both his head then shoulder.
A minute and 27 seconds after the restart, Bankies doubled their lead.
In a bizarrely identical fashion, Little again dragged his man out wide to create space and crossed for Millar, who again managed to glance home from close range to grab his fourth goal in three games.
Before the half time whistle sounded, the hosts could and perhaps should have put the game beyond any doubt. Cammy McClair and Chris Black linked up well, with the former setting up the latter, but Black’s finish was straight at goalkeeper Connelly.
READ MORE: Bankies battle back from two down to clinch Beith point
In truth, it was a game devoid of much further quality under the watchful eye of those hardy souls who turned out.
Bankies’ best chance to grab a third goal of the afternoon came from Hamilton Accies loanee Kyle Munro – who struck the angle of both bar and post – when he tried his luck from 25 yards out.
Munro tried again soon after, but this time his curling effort went wide of the post as Bankies had to settle for their two goal cushion.
At the other end, Clydebank stopper Marc Waters was called into question in the closing stages, reacting well down to his left to push a long range effort wide to register his third clean sheet in his last four games.
Clydebank’s attention now turns to next Saturday, when they travel to Irvine Meadow. Kick off at Meadow Park is 2pm.
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