With just three matches remaining and their five-game unbeaten run coming to an end last week, Clydebank gaffer Gordon Moffat has admitted his side are beginning to feel the effects of a long season.

Bankies went in last Wednesday’s fixture against Pollok in fine form having lost just once in their last eight outings - a run stretching back to December.

But, despite Craig Holmes levelling proceedings moments before the break at Holm Park, Lok always looked comfortable as they eased to a 4-1 win.

And with Clydebank having played more league games than any other team in the division, Moff admits his side were beginning to look worse for wear.

“Pollok last week was of course really disappointing,” he told Post Sport. “We had only suffered one defeat in our last eight before that so it brought us all down to earth a wee bit.

“Despite it being at home, we were never really in it against Pollok and it just felt like the games over the last two months or so had finally caught up with us a wee bit.

READ MORE: Bankies extend unbeaten run to five with Rossvale win

“We put a lot of effort into the last couple of months with a real focus on the points. The boys all handled that pressure excellently and I told them that after the Lok match.

“Of course we’d like to finish the season strong, but it just looked like that effort over the season had caught up with us. We looked fatigued from the off. We ended the match with 11 men on the park, but only nine of those, including the bench, were fit and playing without any knocks. 

“It was just one of those nights. Hopefully we don’t feel the effects of that going into tonight’s match.

“We’ve been putting the hard work in off the park and that has been starting to show on the pitch, one defeat doesn’t knock that. 

“The job now for myself and the management team is to maintain that form and energy throughout an entire season to be able to beat the likes of Pollok and Talbot.”

If the Lok encounter proved difficult, tonight’s match at Holm Park is as daunting as they come as Bankies play host to Auchinleck Talbot.

The Ayrshire giants have been in turmoil in regards to injuries and suspensions in recent weeks but, crucially, they are the fresher of the sides and go into it on the back of an eight-game winning run.

READ MORE: Clydebank raise funds in bid to return to association pyramid

And while the gaffer knows his knackered side need a much-needed break, he has urged them to give one final push in their final home match of the 2019/20 campaign.

“Games don’t come much harder than Talbot at this level,” Moff added. “It’s been well-documented that they’ve had some problems with injuries and their squad, but we’re in the same boat.

“We had training on Monday where we assessed the boys and where they were at physically. It’s just a case of stringing together the fittest starting XV for the Talbot match now to be honest.

“The number of injuries and the number of guys needing a break is increasing after every match.

“Having said that, it’s our last home game of the season so we’ll be looking to finish as strong as possible.”

Clydebank v Talbot kicks off tonight at 7.30pm.

Read all the latest from Post Sport