Edinburgh City hit for five as Spartans play catch up
Edinburgh City boss Michael McIndoe had no complaints over the Capital side's 5-0 defeat to promotion hopefuls Clyde.
The former Bristol City and Doncaster midfielder says his players lost their individual battles at New Douglas Park, the hosts two in front at the break courtesy of former City player James Hilton's 25th-minute penalty and a second of the afternoon just five minutes later.
Second-half efforts from Darren Hynes, Kyle Connell, and Hilton with a third, completing his hat-trick, ensured it was a sorry afternoon in South Lanarkshire for the basement battlers.
City remain a point adrift of nearest rivals Dumbarton at the foot of Scottish football's fourth tier but are quickly back in action tomorrow night when they make the long journey to Moray to face Elgin City at Borough Briggs.
"I'm disappointed but Clyde deserved their victory," McIndoe said. "All over the park we lost our individual battles. We gave the ball away four times and they scored four goals. It's a harsh lesson for these young lads because if you're going to give the football away and not get your body in the right position, you will be punished.
"We don't get too down when we lose and we don't get too excited when we win."
Elsewhere, Spartans are now five points off the pace of leaders East Kilbride after a 2-1 defeat at Stranraer.
However, Dougie Samuel's men do have a comfort blanket of having played two games fewer.
Following their exertions at Tannadice last Tuesday where they exited the Scottish Cup to Dundee United, the visitors fell behind at Stair Park to a Dean Clelland strike in the 12th minute.
Ethan Drysdale's deflected effort restored parity midway through the second half before last-gasp agony struck as Aaron Quigg's neat lob found the far corner a minute into stoppage time.
Defender Kevin Waugh said: "It's devastating losing the goal so late in a game I thought we largely dominated, to be honest. It's gutting but we just have to get back on the bike and go again. We knew the pitch would cut up but I don't think we imagined it would as much as it did. The rain before kick-off didn't help."