Fife boss rues missed chance to climb table as Clyde sail to victory

Darren Young conceded his East Fife side took their eye off the ball as they let three points slip through their fingers at Broadwood.

Kyle Connell’s secondhalf goal put the visitors on track to record a win which would have seen them leapfrog the Bully Wee and off the foot of League One.

Instead they let their hosts off the hook and a David Goodwillie equaliser was added to by a Ross Cunningham brace.

It was a defeat which leaves East Fife five points adrift at the bottom of the division.

Young said: “In the first half they had one really good chance through Ally Love who missed a header. Apart from that they didn’t cause us any problems.

“It’s never a 3-1 but they’ve shown how to be ruthless in both boxes. If you take that wee spell out, then we were feeling comfortable.

“We’ve had a long discussion about having done so well over the past five or six weeks to get ourselves into the position before the Clyde game. To go and take the lead and then lose with 25 minutes to go is a joke.”

It took Clyde just two minutes to register a decent attempt on target, Cunningham’s cross finding Goodwillie.

The former Dundee United forward then got an acrobatic shot on target but visiting keeper Jude Smith did enough to tip it around the post.

The Fifers grew into the game and enjoyed the bulk of play inside the Clyde half but failed to seriously test Neil Parry’s goal.

It took the Fifers 35 minutes to create a real chance on goal. Scott Mercer raced into the Clyde box and cut the ball back for Kyle Connell who shaped to get a shot away but his effort was blocked by the Clyde defence.

The Bully Wee created the first real opening of the second half, with Goodwillie picking out Cunningham who had time to get his shot away but failed to trouble Smith.

They were made to pay moments later when East Fife took the lead. Aaron Dunsmore saw his shot blocked by Parry but first to react was Connell who was afforded a simple tap in.

Clyde responded well to going behind and were soon level. Goodwillie managed to race clear and sent a terrific chip beyond Smith.

Things got even better within a matter of moments when the hosts edged ahead. Cunningham’s finish from close range putting them 2-1 up.

East Fife were all of a sudden chasing the game, leaving gaps at the back and Clyde made them pay when they again got in behind, with Cunningham completing the scoring.

East Fife manager Darren Young.