Goals from hit men Stewart Kean and Ross Robertson cancelled out a stunning Ian Gold strike to take the points in an engrossing counter.

Gold could have salvaged a point in stoppage time but his close-range header somehow crashed off the post when it looked easier to score.

Clydebank have now gone nine league matches without a win and remain rooted to the bottom of the Super League Premier.

But their level of performance in many of those games has been much better than the results suggest.

Saturday was no different.

Bankies threatened early when Kyle Cumming sent over an inviting back-post cross that would have led to simple finish had Stevie Gardiner reacted a second earlier.

Liam Campbell was then forced into action to block two decent efforts as Hurlford showed their quality.

Scott Walker was turning in a fine performance at full back and he linked well with Jamie Campbell whose shot was just too close to United keeper Alistair Brown as Bankies pushed for an opener.

There was little between the teams although Bankies edged it in the possession stakes.

Twenty minutes from time, though, the visitors took the lead with a simple goal that capitalised on poor defending from the home side.

United defender Chris Robertson headed a Walker clearance back into the danger zone where Robertson was first to react with a neat lob over a stranded Campbell.

Bankies stormed back and Harvey fed Gold who left Paul Cameron for dead before coolly slotting the ball past Brown.

It was a terrific goal and had the home crowd roaring in anticipation of more to come.

But jut as they had done in their last league outing at Beith, Clydebank were unable to kick on and handed the lead back to their opponents.

A simple throw-in was missed by three Bankies players to allow Kean a simple header past Campbell at the back post.

It was a cruel blow.

To their credit, Budgie McGhie’s men kept going and had the Scottish Junior Cup champs on the ropes.

In the dying seconds Gold only had to convert a simple back-post header to earn a point but his nod goalwards hit the upright before being cleared.

Bankies travel to New Cumnock on Saturday to face Glenafton Athletic still with hope that their fortunes will turn soon.