Late goal breaks Bully Wee hearts

Loss means Cowden trip is do or die

Clyde are staring into the abyss once more after a heartbreaking loss to Stirling Albion at Broadwood on Saturday.

The Bully Wee looked to have eased their relegation fears with a 2-0 win over bottom club Cowdenbeath last Tuesday.

And they looked on course to pick up another three points on Saturday when they led Stirling 2-1 with 12 minutes remaining after goals from MacDonald and Gormley.

But two late strikes ensured another defeat for Clyde. They are now just four points ahead of Cowdenbeath, with the two clubs meeting at Central Park in what could be a relegation play-off decider this Saturday.

After the Stirling game Clyde co-manager JP McGovern said his team knew they were in a scrap. He said: “It was disappointing. “You can’t keep making excuses. We need to stand up and be counted. We know we are in a dogfight.

“That was a tough one to take. I looked at the stats in midweek and 64 per cent of the time you win the game if you score first and the boys knew that.”

John Gibson returned in goal for Clyde, with Gormley and McNiff returning from suspension. On-loan Scott Lochhead was handed a first start and defender Kevin Rutkiewicz was fielded as a trialist.

MacDonald fired Clyde in front in the 25th minute when he volleyed home from McNiff’s cross.

Stirling were level soon after half-time though when a pass through the Clyde defence found Darren Smith and he slotted past Gibson.

The Bully Wee fought back though and retook the lead after 63 minutes.

MacDonald was pulled down in the box following a Scott McLaughlin free-kick and a penalty was awarded. David Gormley stepped up to take it and sent the ball into the roof of the net.

But Clyde could not hold out for three precious points. In the 78th minute Kavanagh forced the ball into the net after an initial header had been cleared off the line.

And there was more dejection for the home side with just nine minutes left when Stirling grabbed a winner.

Smith looped a header over the despairing Gibson for his second of the game.

Clyde huffed and puffed in the closing minutes but could not get back into the game.

McGovern said: “We changed shape and tried to play a bit more football, which we did in the first half. The second half just didn’t quite happen for us and we have not got the result we were looking for.”