Clyde 2-3 Hamilton

Jan 27 2008 Alan Mcmillan At Broadwood

JOHN BROWN assumed Bomber Command at Clyde on an explosive day that saw his coach sent to the stand for THROTTLING a rival player.

Dougie Bell clashed with Mark Gilhaney when the ball went out for a shy and was red-carded for the second week in a row.

But Brown must have felt like grabbing his own players by the throat after they surrendered a two-goal lead and missed a last-gasp penalty.

Bomber, who was confirmed as Broadwood boss at lunchtime yesterday, now hopes his Old Firm contacts can help him move Clyde up the table.

The former Rangers player and coach, who celebrated his 46th birthday yesterday, has already spoken to Ibrox No.2 Ally McCoist about loan signings.

He will also approach Celtic coaches Tommy Burns and Willie McStay.

Brown said: "The priority is survival and with that in mind we have five days to get some players in to freshen things up.

"There may be guys at Rangers and Celtic who aren't getting a game and could benefit from the experience of coming to Clyde.

"We could do with more creativity from middle to front."

Brown won't be bringing in his own assistant and will work with current coaches Gary Bollan and Bell.

The Clyde players looked as if they were keen to impress the new gaffer as they went at Hamilton straight from the start.

And the home fans only had to wait three minutes for a goal.

The Accies defence allowed a long free-kick by keeper David Hutton to bounce over them and Gary Arbuckle hooked the ball home from close range.

And Clyde scored again in the 15th minute. Dougie Emrie took a free-kick just outside the box on the right and smashed a left foot shot past the helpless Bryn Halliwell.

Hamilton had to do something to try to get a foothold in the game and that saw striker Gary Twigg replaced by midfielder James McArthur with Gilhaney moving up front.

Accies pulled one back in the 43rd minute when a mix-up between Hutton and one of his defenders allowed Richard Offiong to fire into the unguarded net.

In the 54th minute Clyde coach Bell was sent to the stand after jostling with Gilhaney for a ball that had gone out of play.

Gilhaney was yellow carded for his part in the bust-up.

Two minutes later Hamilton levelled when ex-Clyde midfielder Simon Mensing headed home a Gilhaney cross.

And they went ahead in the 77th minute when Offiong stuck out a leg to divert a cross from Gilhaney into the net.

Clyde should have grabbed an equaliser with an 88th-minute penalty after Alex Neil pulled down Craig McKeown.

However, skipper Michael McGowan blasted the ball at keeper Halliwell who produced a marvellous block.

Hamilton boss Billy Reid said: "That was a massive victory.We were terrible for the first 35 minutes and Clyde were great.

"We could have been three or four down rather than just two by that stage.

"At half-time we told the players that if they wanted to be serious title contenders they would have to turn the tide and they did that."

MoM: Halliwell (Hamilton)