WITH the season in the end zone, Beith produced a crucial performance to secure points to finally secure their top division status from a tough campaign following promotion.

WITH the season in the end zone, Beith produced a crucial performance to secure points to finally secure their top division status from a tough campaign following promotion.

Hosts Clydebank had a mountain to climb to get off the bottom slot and they never really looked like getting anything from this encounter and their fate now looks sealed.

Beth started well in front of a healthy crowd at Holm Park, enjoying some good early possession. But they received a setback when defender Gary Wilson collected a soft yellow card for his first challenge on the halfway line. Carcary squeezed in a shot for the hosts but Adam Strain saved comfortably. Beith continued to look the livelier of the sides and they grabbed a crucial lead in 25 minutes when Zander Ryan found the bottom corner from a well- taken free-kick after Nicky Docherty had been fouled 20 yards out.

Somewhat surprisingly Clydebank offered little response and Sean McKenna and Kenny McLean had efforts blocked as Beith continued to press. The home side had a brief flurry before the interval but Shelvey and Davidson had shots blocked.

Bankies sub Harvie almost made an immediate impression after the restart when he fired in a shot which forced Strain into action to touch his effort over the bar as the home side continued to probe via Davidson and Shelvey without testing the Beith keeper.

Quality never came near to matching effort and the scrappy contest continued. Clydebank created further openings with Beith again struggling in midfield but Strain saved a Shelvey shot and Paterson screwed a shot wide from Bankies’ best chance inside the box.

However Beith sub Andy Reid did make the desired impact after 69 minutes when he picked a loose ball in midfield and advanced to fire in a shot that beat hapless Bankies keeper Hamilton for the second time.

The home side’s heads visibly dropped at this point and McLean and Darren Christie kept them on the back foot with their continued effort.

Beith could have increased their lead before the end but for decent stops from Hamilton and good fortune for the home side when Reid got a toe to a great Christie cross only for the ball to spin into the keeper’s arms when a goal looked certain.

After the crucial second goal Beith kept a firm grip on proceedings and saw out time without mishap. Best for Beith in an important win were McLean, John Sheridan, Nicky Docherty and injury-dogged midfielder Steven McKeown.

CLYDEBANK: Hamilton; Verlaque, Paterson, Walker, Mort, MCCann, Gold, Barclay, Carcary, Davidson, Shelvey. Subs: Harvie, Cumming, McNab, Irvine, Campbell.

BEITH: Strain; Ryan, Wilson, K MacDonald, Sheridan, McKeown, Christie, Frize, McLean, McKenna, Docherty. Subs: Reid, S MacDonald, Bradley, McShane, Convery.