Edinburgh City boss Gary Naysmith's warning after tight 1-0 defeat to Kelty Hearts

Edinburgh City manager Gary Naysmith says his side must start to pick up points (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Kelty Hearts at New Central Park was the Citizens’ third in the league already this season, a loss that leaves them eighth in the table, just two points better off than bottom side Stranraer and seven adrift of leaders Kevin Thomson’s Fife outfit.

Kelty’s Jamie Barjonas scored the only goal of a tight affair, the midfielder lashing the ball high beyond City goalkeeper Brian Schwake from ten yards nine minutes into the second half.

The visitors had their opportunities though, John Robertson seeing a shot from a tight angle come back off the crossbar in the first half while substitute Danny Handling’s curling effort from the edge of the area went just wide of the hosts’ No.1 Darren Jamieson’s left-hand post.

City were dealt a further blow when both captain Robbie McIntyre and on-loan striker Ryan Shanley had to be replaced at half-time with ankle and shoulder injuries respectively, the latter having to go to hospital to be assessed.

And Naysmith feels his side just aren’t getting the rub of the green at the moment.

“I thought the lads were very good,” he told the Evening News afterwards. “We were up against a good team who move the ball, but we also tried to carry a threat as well going with three strikers. They had the better of the first half but we stuck at it and had a couple of half chances.

“I thought we nullified them more in the second half so it was strange that was when they got their goal. I feel for the players because the effort they have put in this week has been first class.

“We’re at a stage where, and I know we can’t keep saying it, but as well as there are things we can do better, luck is going against us; personnel, breaks of the ball, it just isn’t going for us at times when you need it.

“But we need results to turn because we don’t want to find ourselves too far behind. Kelty are a good team. Let’s not beat about the bush they’ve got players who should be in the Championship you know there are going to be stages in the game where you can’t get the ball.

“I’m never happy losing but sometimes the players can only give you so much and I don’t think they could have given me much more. We finished the game strongly but at the end of the day it’s a defeat.

“It’s been a tough start being away at Albion Rovers, Forfar and now Kelty, as well as a real hard game at home against Stenhousemuir, so we’ve not got the points that we’d hoped to have. It’s a bit of a roller coaster just now with the team, some good performances, some indifferent so we need to find a bit more consistency.”

Kelty Hearts: Jamieson, Philp, Hooper, O’Ware, McNab, Tidser, Barron (Black 86), Higginbotham, Barjonas, Cardle (Russell 90), Austin (Agyeman 86). Subs: Peggie, Donaldson, Finnan.

Edinburgh City: Schwake, Brian (Reekie 86), Hamilton (Bronsky 77), Toshney, Crane, Jardine (Kane 59), Tapping, McIntyre (Hilton 46), See, Robertson, Shanley (Handling 46). Sub: Goodfellow.