Clydebank fell to their first defeat of 2019 with a disappointing 2-1 loss away to Largs Thistle on Saturday.

Two goals in the opening four minutes were enough for the hosts with Nicky Little’s 19th goal of the season not enough for Bankies to salvage a point at Barrfields Stadium.

Bankies boss Kieran McAnespie named an unchanged starting XI for the second successive game with Liam Rowan continuing to fill in at right back as on-loan Partick Thistle defender Lee Duncanson took a place on the bench.

McAnespie’s side have put together back-to-back clean sheets in their first two matches of the year but it was a disastrous start for the visitors here as they lost the first goal inside two minutes as Ben Black burst down the left channel and crossed at the byline for John Carter to nod home unchallenged.

It went from bad to worse two minutes later as Jamie Darroch’s mistake was punished. The defender’s attempted headed back pass was short, which allowed Black to nip in and lift the ball over the advancing Marc Waters to leave Bankies with a mountain to climb with less than five minutes on the clock.

The Clydebank back-line were visibly rattled by the early action and they almost conceded a third soon after when Kevin Struthers lashed at a shot he should have done better with.

It took until the midway point of the first-half for Bankies to settle with Del Hepburn first to try his luck from distance, but his effort flew wide of the post.

Clydebank began to grow and should have pulled a goal back when Little latched on to Hepburn’s ball over the top, with the the forward taking the ball beyond Theesel stopper Danny Farrell - but defender Creag Little was in the right place at the right time, lurking on the line to clear the ball to safety.

Seconds later, Bankies did reduce the deficit. Alan Vezza rose highest to a corner with Little getting the final touch as the ball hit a defender on its way over the line.

Bankies perhaps should have had the chance to go in level at the break with referee Connor Ashwood waving away protests for a penalty after Jordan Shelvey appeared to be brought down inside the area.

Clydebank spurned a glorious chance to equalise just minutes into the second-half after Andy Paterson cut in from the left and forced Farrell into a diving save with Rowan somehow managing to fire the rebound straight at the Largs defenders on the line from close-range.

Then, on the hour mark, captain Vezza headed straight at Farrell in what was another wasted chance by the visiting side.

And as the clock struck 86 minutes, Shelvey also missed the chance to grab a last-gasp point. The midfielder played it through to Little with Bankies’ top scorer laying it back off for Shelvey to his right. Shelvey took the shot on first time but blasted the ball over the bar as Largs desperately held on with Bankies failing to get any points for their endeavours.

Next up for Bankies is a tie in the last 16 of the Scottish Junior Cup away to Girvan this Saturday. Kick-off at Hamilton Park is 1.45pm.