East Fife lost their League One playoff semi-final after Matin Rennie’s extra-time goal sent Clyde through.
The Fifers won 1-0 over 90 minutes, but Rennie’s equaliser made it 2-1 to Clyde on aggregate.
⚽Clyde v East Fife
🏆League One playoff semi-final second leg
📍ZLX Stadium pic.twitter.com/2jWgypHHgn— Craig Cairns (@craigcairns001) May 12, 2023
Scott Shepherd – who was later sent off – scored the only goal of the game with 10 minutes on the clock.
Second-half substitue Martin Rennie equalised on the night in extra-time after the game ended 1-1 on aggregate after 90 minutes.
Courier Sport looks at some of the talking points.
Tweaks to the lineup
Greig McDonald made one change from Tuesday night’s defeat, bringing Jonathan Page into defence at the expense of Stewart Murdoch.
The only other change saw Alex Ferguson and Jack Healy switch wings from the first leg.
It almost paid off instantly, but there was no one to get on the end of Healy’s low cross in the opening seconds.
Within three minutes they were forced into a change when Sam Denham was hobbled off with an injury and was replaced by Aidan Quinn, on loan from Montrose.
McDonald’s side were ahead in the 10th minute through a lovely finish from Shepherd over goalkeeper Ryan Mullen after latching on to a curving through ball from Brogan Walls.
Great football from the Fifers
Soon after the opening goal, Mullen made an excellent near-post reaction save after Connor Newton showed persistence down the left.
East Fife’s style of football is pleasing on the eye and they were one pass away from a tap-in on a couple of occasions to double their lead.
The closest Clyde came to troubling Allan Fleming was when the Fifers keeper had to collect a wayward cross from Ross Lyon.
Clyde make half-time changes
Jim Duffy had seen enough by the break and brought on Barry Cuddihy and Tuesday’s goal hero Martin Rennie at half-time.
They started the half better and Kurtis Roberts fired an early warning shot but it was comfortably wide.
The pressure soon subsided and even though there were fewer opportunities for East Fife, they threatened when Healy hit the side-netting.
The tricky winger collected a beautifully weighted long pass from Quinn but perhaps chose the wrong option to shoot.
Fleming then had to be alert to tip over Darren Hynes’ rasping shot and at the other end Steele headed wide after excellent play on the wing from Quinn
McDonald then turned to his bench, bringing on Aidan Denholm – who recently signed a contract extension at parent club Hearts – for Walls.
Fifers down to 10 for extra-time
With seven minutes to go, Shepherd was sent off for two bookings in three minutes – the first looked harsh but he appeared to catch Lyon with an elbow for the second.
Denham then forced an excellent save from Mullen after a deserving effort from wide.
Fleming made two excellent stops from McDonald late on as East Fife’s 10 men held on for extra-time.
Clyde dominated the extra half hour, with Rennie twice forcing a save out of Fleming before he tapped in on the line in the second period of extra-time.
Conversation