Watt is proud of squad's effort against Albion

CLYDE director of football Neil Watt admits he hasn't yet decided on the future of any of his squad but was proud of their efforts as they lost narrowly to new league leaders Stirling Albion.

This was Clyde's second match against Stirling in the space of four days with defeat at Broadwood the previous Tuesday confirming the Bully Wee's relegation to division three.

Watt elected to string five across midfield and try to neutralise the undoubted Stirling threat.

Sadly, while this tactic was relatively successful it didn't make for a grand spectacle as Clyde failed to record a single effort on goal in the first half.

That isn't to say Callum Reidford in the Clyde goal was kept much busier, as in the early stages the closest the home side came was a Scott Robertson header onto the roof of the net and a weak Andrew Gibson header.

However, on 25 minutes Clyde left back Neil McGowan was forced off with a hamstring strain to be replaced by Connor Cassidy and within a minute Stirling were ahead as Andrew Graham crossed from the side and Robertson rose unmarked to bullet a header past Reidford.

Iain Russell, who took abuse all game from the Clyde support for a perceived dive on the Tuesday that gave Stirling their match winning penalty, should have made it 2-0.

He seemed to have done everything right as he too was unmarked when Nathan Taggart got to the byeline but somehow his header went wide.

Ten minutes into the second half Kevin Higgins replaced Connor Stevenson and the tricky teenager gave his side some impetus.

He tormented the Stirling defence from the moment he came on and one moment of deft skill ended up with John Stewart collecting the ball on the left side of the box but his cross was missed by Alexandrs Gramovics and a surprised Jordan White could only shoot into the side netting.

Higgins then took matters into his own hands but his long range shot was comfortable for Scott Christie in the Stirling goal.

Clyde were pressing and Robertson cleared an Alan Lithgow header off the line before substitute Steven Howarth found himself one-on-one with Christie but seemed caught in two minds and the keeper saved.

With Clyde pushing up they opened the door just a touch for Stirling and in injury time Russell robbed Ally Park in the box and squeezed the ball to Taggart but off balance the winger could only grimace as he sliced the ball into the side netting.

Watt said: "We had a lot of youngsters out there again and they acquited themselves very well and there is no doubt Stirling know they were in a game."

Clyde end their season with a home match against Dumbarton who have finished their first season back in the second division comfortably in mid-table.

The two sides last met a fortnight ago when two Strachan penalties and a McGowan strike rescued a point for the Bully Wee in a 3-3 draw.

STIRLING ALBION: Christie, Graham, Forsyth, Gibson, Page, Robertson, Taggart, Aitken (Murphy 87), Mullen (McKenna 76), Russell, O'Brien.

CLYDE: Reidford, Park, McGowan (Cassidy 25), Kinniburgh, Lithgow, Gramovics, White, Stevenson (Higgins 55), Sawyers, Stewart (Howarth 65), McLachlan.

Referee: John Beaton.

Attendance: 796.

News and Chronicle Man of the Match: Kevin Higgins.