Five minutes changed everything. What looked like a routine away win for Toryglen Thistle ended with Clydebank Red Star refusing to go away
Here is the full breakdown of how a bitterly cold morning turned into a one of those GCFA Premier League games that refuses to settle quietly.
Red Star Rising in the Dying Seconds
By Our Pitchside Roving Reporter
The GCFA Premier League clash between Clydebank Red Star and Toryglen Thistle almost didn’t happen. With the pitch looking suspect, the referee carried out a thorough inspection. After a final walk across the surface in his studs, the game was declared on.
Thistle Take Control
For the first hour, it was all Toryglen. The visitors looked sharp, breaking the deadlock in the 34th minute through a clinical finish from McGillivary. Thistle headed into the interval with a deserved 1-0 lead and all the momentum.
In the 54th minute, Thistle were awarded a penalty, which Kent coolly dispatched from the spot. At 2-0 down, Clydebank looked defeated, and Toryglen appeared to be coasting toward three easy points.
The Turning Point
However, the narrative shifted as the clock ticked down. Perhaps sensing the game was “done,” the Thistle management opted for a series of unenforced substitutions. The gamble backfired; the rhythm of the game was disrupted, and Toryglen’s dominance evaporated.
Sensing blood, the Red Star “Gaffer” Pollock rallied his troops, demanding they fight until the final whistle. While the attackers grabbed the headlines, it was center-back Jamie Donaghy who kept Red Star in the hunt. His rock-solid performance earned him the Man of the Match honors, providing the defensive foundation for the miracle that was about to unfold.
Red Star Refuse to Fold
With just six minutes of regulation time remaining, Red Star finally broke through. McLaren found the net in the 84th minute, turning a comfortable morning for Thistle into a nervous one.
The comeback was completed in the 89th minute when Forrest struck, sending the home the Red Star players into raptures. The final whistle blew shortly after, leaving the Toryglen players crestfallen on the turf, while the Red Star squad celebrated a point that felt like a victory.
Final Thoughts
Toryglen will look back at this as a game as they had it in their own hands. But a resilient Clydebank Red Star earned their valuable point. They stayed in the game, they stayed organised, and they took their chance when it finally came..
Final Score:
Clydebank Red Star 2 – 2 Toryglen Thistle
Footy Focus season 25/26 
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