Clyde 2-0 Airdrie (agg 3-0)

May 11 2008 Alan Mcmillan At Broadwood

COOL Clyde made sure they'll be playing First Division football again next season thanks to goals by a golden oldie and a classy kid. Gary McSwegan, still a threat at 37, scored the opener and 22-year-old Pat Clarke grabbed the second as John Brown's boys stayed up with a bit of style.

Airdrie went into this final with high hopes of promotion but came up a little short in both legs and a 3-0 aggregate score doesn't flatter the Broadwood side.

Coaching commitments in his native Germany meant Jorg Albertz was missing from the Clyde line-up.

McSwegan, one of the main men in Clyde's semi-final win against Alloa, was given a start as the home team set out to keep hold of the advantage given to them by Clarke's goal at New Broomfield last midweek.

The onus was on Airdrie to get an early grip of the game and they had a big travelling support to drive them on.

However, it was Clyde who provided the first threatening move when McSwegan laid the ball off to Clarke for a shot that Stephen Robertson pushed over the bar.

Airdrie replied with a lightning break that saw Graeme Holmes set up Stuart Noble and he was about to pull the trigger when Marvyn Wilson stepped in to make a vital tackle.

A foul by Paul Lovering on Billy Gibson 22 yards from goal gave Steve Masterton a chance to show his prowess from dead-ball situations but his free-kick didn't beat the wall.

Clarke then set up McSwegan for a first-time volley which flew well off target but it was a measure of the former Rangers striker' confidence that he was prepared to take it on.

Airdrie suffered a setback in 19 minutes when central defender Marc Smyth had to be stretchered off and replaced by Darren Smith after being left dazed following a clash of heads.

Two minutes later team-mate Lovering was shown a yellow card by ref John Underhill for a foul on Clarke.

Clyde were slightly on top at this stage and their rivals were lucky to survive another sweet moving attack.

Jimmy Gibson set up Ruari MacLennan and he powered into the box to hit a shot that looked a winner until Robertson dived low to his right to turn the ball round the post. Another Airdrie counter-attack saw them come close.

Noble crossed for Allan Russell but he couldn't get enough power in his shot to trouble David Hutton.

The big striker did better in the next attack, carving out an opening for himself with a nice bit of skill before firing wide.

Then it was Clyde's turn to hit on the break with Clarke and Jimmy Gibson combining to engineer a chance for McSwegan who scuffed his shot straight at the keeper. Three minutes before the break Airdrie might have broken the deadlock.

Russell chased a long ball and got away from marker Masterton but keeper Hutton raced from his line and made a brave block at the No.9's feet.

Two minutes into the second half Clyde made the breakthrough.

A speculative ball forward by defender Cliff Higgins was missed by everyone except McSwegan who strolled through to casually flick the ball past the advancing keeper.

Bully Wee weren't far off a quick second as Billy Gibson broke powerfully on the left and crossed for Clarke to head wide.

Airdrie looked to have a decent claim for a penalty after 55 minutes when Higgins appeared to bundle down Bryan Prunty but Underhill refused to give it.

There were more penalty shouts, not so vociferous this time, when Higgins and Noble clashed as they went for a Russell cutback but again the match official saw nothing.

McSwegan made way for the younger legs of Gary Arbuckle in 56 minutes and nine minutes later Clyde scored again.

MacLennan played the ball out to Billy Gibson on the right and he sent over a cross that Clarke converted with a spectacular overhead kick.

Airdrie went for broke by sending on a third striker in Kevin Watt but never looked like mounting a salvage job.