Elgin City 6-2 Clyde

The first quarter of the William Hill League Two season ended disastrously for The Bully Wee this afternoon, as they shipped six second half goals in a total capitulation at Borough Briggs.

Darren Young was able to choose from a healthy squad on the day, with Logan Dunachie and Marley Redfern the two changes made to the team which drew 1-1 against Stirling Albion a fortnight ago. Sam Campbell (injury) and Nathan Cannon were the pair who made way.

With a fair wind at their backs, it seemed imperative that Clyde took an advantage into the interval. They did so courtesy of a goal midway through the opening period, with Kyle Connell finding the back of the net with a low strike into the bottom corner from range. That only one goal was scored in the first half was a surprise, with the hosts having two efforts cleared off the line and the visitors spurning a pair of glorious headed opportunities from close range through Dunachie and Scott Williamson.

A truly disastrous start to the second half for Young’s men all but cemented the result, with Elgin scoring thrice within eight minutes of the restart. First, Russell Dingwall slotted beyond Jay Hogarth after poor defending left him one-on-one, before a second arrived two minutes later in farcical circumstances. Two balls were on the park as a throw-in was taken in the Clyde third and, with the defence having frozen as a result, Jack MacIver was one of the only men alive in the area as he swept home. A miserable sequence was compounded four minutes thereafter when a deep corner found a completely unmarked Morgyn Neill at the back post, with the big defender having the simplest of tasks in heading home.

The Bully Wee did mount something of a response and pulled a goal back when Kyle Fleming’s ball in was headed home by Dunachie but, as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser, they left themselves vulnerable at the back. That vulnerability was to be ruthlessly exploited by the hosts – aided by some schoolboy stuff from their guests – as Matty Grant, Lewis Mackay and Calum Brown all found the back of the net in a truly chastening last quarter of an hour.

Having surrendered top spot on goal difference as a result, Clyde will now look to make amends in a pair of upcoming home games.