Some victories are achieved by skill and flair, others are achieved by sheer grit and determination. The latter was the case tonight as a battle-weary Tannahill side, playing their fifth game in ten days, showed passion and commitment by the bucket load to see off Linwood in the final of the Ciba Cup.

The second half performance typified the fantastic team spirit shown for most of this season as Tans resisted a twenty minute Linwood onslaught with important blocks, amazing clearances and great saves, followed by a wonderful winning goal.

The match started slowly, with both teams creating little goalmouth action. Davy Clark looked lively early on as did Frazer Martin on the Tans right. Linwood were being resticted to shots from distance and crosses into the box, which Peter Young claimed comfortably. After 25 minutes though, Tannahill broke the deadlock. A decent passing move from the back allowed Matt Gribben to progress down the right flank and hang up a cross for John Gordon to attack. The Tans midfielder looked second favourite, but brillantly rose above the Linwood keeper to head home from eight yards.

HALF TIME 1-0

Into the second half and Linwood started to apply pressure on the Tans goal, who for the most part held firm. As the pressure mounted, cracks started to appear in the tired Tans rearguard who had to make last ditch attempts to keep the goal intact with one particular John Campbell double block defying belief. Matt Gribben, bravely battling through the pain barrier, also made a wonderful goal line clearance to deny Linwood a leveller and the last line of defence too was in great form. On top of his safe handling, Peter Young made two terrific diving saves, firstly high to his left then low to his right as the pressure was piled on.

Linwood thought they had equalised ten minutes into the half but felt agrieved when the assistant’s flag was raised for offside. The Tans goal was eventually breached, however, midway through the half when a long throw broke the way of Linwood inside the box and was clinically finished.

This drew the game level, but within five minutes, Tannahill were ahead again. Tans won a free kick at the edge of the box and Thomas Robertson stepped up to crack a low shot into the keeper’s right hand corner of the net to scenes of jubilation in the Tannahill ranks.

This seemed to take the stuffing out of Linwood as after this they failed to really trouble Peter Young despite pressing the resolute Tannahill defence all the way. Indeed, it was Tans who could have wrapped it up late on when Gary Burns raced clear, but his shot from the edge of the box was blocked and the chance was lost. It mattered little as Tans held out to claim a terrific victory and a fantastic treble of domestic cups in this memorable season.

Tannahill (4-4-2)
P Young, Millar, McNab, Gribben, Campbell, McAlinden (Morrison), Gordon,
R Martin, F Martin, Robertson (Burns), Clark (Matthews).

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