Clipstone rue defensive lapses and missed chances
Assistant manager Dale Spragg admitted Clipstone struggled to find their creativity in their 2-1 defeat at home to West Bridgford.
Josh Rae put the visitors ahead two minutes before the break Abou Sylla doubled the advantage.
Clipstone pulled a goal back through Jack Warwick with five minutes to go - but it was too little too late.
“It was a game that was evenly contested with few chances.” Spragg said. “West Bridgford were very hard working and made it difficult for us.
“We struggled to break them down. We had a few chances but came across a keeper on top of his game.
“He pulled off two top class saves. We could have prevented their goals, maybe we didn't get the rub of the green but we didn't deal with the second phase of play and it cost us.
“We kept going and probably should have got something from it, we didn't deserve to lose but didn't deserve to win.”
Chances were few and far between inside the first 30 mins as both sides struggled with the conditions.
Rae blazed over from six yards when he should have scored for the visitors on 38 minutes, before Jason Foster saw a shot saved for Clipstone on 41 minutes.
Clipstone fell behind two minutes before the break when Rae fired home after good work from Sylla.
They doubled the lead on 67 minutes when Sylla found time and space on the edge of the box.
Warwick pulled a goal back following a poor defensive clearance.
Dec Sorrell was red-carded following an off-the-ball incident on 87 minutes.