Clyde v East Fife

Recap

William Hill League 2 leaders East Fife extended their lead at the top of the table this afternoon, as goals from ex-Clyde men Robert Jones and Alan Trouten put The Bully Wee to the sword.

Darren Young stuck with the same team which came away with three points at Station Park last Saturday.

The Fifers took the lead before two minutes had elapsed when former Clyde striker Robert Jones got on the end of a flick from Alan Trouten behind the Bully Wee defence and placed his shot through Robbie Hemfrey’s legs.

Clyde’s first opportunity came on the half-hour mark when Scott Williamson picked up the ball following a free-kick and hit a shot on the turn, but it went narrowly off target.

The visitors came close to doubling their lead just before the interval when Michael McKenna’s from a wide angle came through a see of bodies and bounced before reaching Hemfrey, with the ‘keeper getting a touch to tip it onto the bar.

The Bully Wee came out for the second half looking fired up and Williamson created another chance shortly after the restart, cutting back inside the box and firing on goal but Liam McFarlane denied him.

Clyde continued to look for the equaliser and the visitors were lucky not to be reduced to ten men, with referee Peter Stuart deciding Andy Munro’s cynical trip on Andy Murdoch with the midfielder breaking forward with a sight of goal was not worthy of a yellow card, after showing the defender one earlier in the game. From the resultant free-kick, Martin Rennie saw his effort come back off the post.

It was all square ten minutes after the restart when Clyde were awarded a penalty following Reis Peggie catching Ray Grant in the box. Rennie stepped up with a precision spot kick to the left, sending McFarlane the wrong way.

The Bully Wee’s good work in getting back into the game was undone just over a minute later as more static defending allowed Jones to play in Trouten one-on-one with Hemfrey, with the veteran playmaker slotting beyond the ‘keeper.

Clyde had a chance late on to equalise again with Taylor Sutherland went through on goal, but he couldn’t keep his lob down.