East Fife 0-2 Clyde

Andrew Osei-Bonsu comes in for some close attention. Pic by Kenny MackayAndrew Osei-Bonsu comes in for some close attention. Pic by Kenny Mackay
Andrew Osei-Bonsu comes in for some close attention. Pic by Kenny Mackay
East Fife’s lack of a killer instinct continues to be a dangerous characteristic.

The Fifers were the better team for the majority of this home match with Clyde but their failure to find the net saw them let Clyde depart the kingdom with all three points thanks to a 2-0 win.

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Clyde managed to stay in the game thanks to East Fife’s failure to kill them off and the one thing the Bully Wee do have is an attacking threat.

They have players who can hutr you in the final third and did just that at Bayview, Ross Cunningham netting twice late in the game.

There had been a suggestion that should the Fifers go behind, and eventually lose, to Clyde then a poisonous atmosphere may develop inside the ground.

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That never happened, an indication that the home support were generally satisfied with the effort on show.

Darren Young made some changes from the side which lost 3-0 at Airdrie, Jude Smith and Aaron Steele amongst those handed starting shirts.

And both did enough to make sure they’ll retain them for next week’s trip to Falkirk, Steele in particular excellent against the obvious threat of David Goodwillie.

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Andrew Osei-Bonsu was another positive, the frontman now looking like he’s up to speed with the Scottish game and a constant threat down the wings.

But it’s simply in front of goal where the Fifers are faltering, something acknowledged by boss Young post match.

He said: “We’ve spoken to the players and the only thing we’re missing now is a goal, having that poacher’s instinct to put it in.

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“Whether that’s taking responsibility yourself to put the cross in or be the one who’s on the end of the cross.

“There were positives with regards to the chances we did create and getting down to the final third but we don’t have that bit of ruthlessness right now to go and put games to bed.”

Osei-Bonsu had a couple of sights at goal during a first half the home side dominated.

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Kevin Smith was another who went close with Robert Jones’s header, which drifted inches over Smith’s bar, the best Clyde could offer.

But the visitors started the second half much brighter and Euan Deveney went close a couple of minutes after the restart.

East Fife managed to weather the early storm and went on to dominate again, without asking too many questions.

They were punished in the closing stages of the match.

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David Goodwillie found Cunningham on the edge of the box and he sent a terrific drive beyond Smith.

It went from bad to worse just a few minutes later when Cunningham was in the right place at the right time and finished from close range.

There were no jeers as the Fifers left the pitch.

The fans are naturally concerned about the position of the club and want things to improve but realise, too, that their players had given them everything.

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