JOHN POTTER said there is "no point sugar coating" Kelty Hearts' start to the season which he said is "not good enough".

The New Central Park gaffer offered a blunt assessment of his team's standing after they fell to a third loss from three League One games at Clyde on Saturday.

A trio of second half goals condemned last season's League Two champions to another defeat, leaving them bottom of the table and still seeking their first point of the campaign.

Their fourth attempt to do so doesn't get any easier this weekend as Dunfermline - top of the table with a perfect record - come calling in not only the first derby of the season, but the first competitive league encounter between the clubs.

Potter, who played for, managed and coached the Pars, will go head-to-head with his former club, while Lewis Martin, Joe Cardle and Kallum Higginbotham are members of the Kelty squad who have also turned out in black and white.

With Andrew Barrowman, Kelty's sporting director, another who has played with Athletic, there will no shortage of intrigue.

Potter acknowledges that it will be a special occasion for his current club, but insists his players must maintain belief they can hurt the Pars despite their difficult beginning to life in the third tier.

"It could be a brilliant occasion, but it's only a brilliant occasion if you win," he told Times Sport following the defeat to the Bully Wee.

"That's something we've got to go and try and do.

"It's great for the club that this is going on, but us as a staff, as players, we've got to go and try and win the game. That's what we'll do next week.

"We'll focus on Dunfermline, and what they can do, and what we can do better. That's what it's all about.

"It will be a good occasion for the club but, for me, it's about trying to win the game. We've not done that well enough today, or the start of the season, but we have a chance to do it next week."

When asked if it's important for his players to have belief they have the tools to hurt Dunfermline, Potter replied: "We have. I've told them that, but we're not doing it.

"There's no doubt in my mind we have got the tools to go and be better and win games, but we're not doing that at the moment.

"There's reasons behind that; we've got to find it and solve it pretty quick."

On his side's start to the campaign, he said: "It's not good enough. There's no point in saying we did this, we did that. We have been good in spells in games, and we've had chances, but we don't score, and we're conceding soft goals when teams have opportunities against us.

"There's no point sugar coating it. It is not good enough. We have to be better, and it has to start quick."

Ahead of the match with Clyde, Potter further strengthened his squad, with three new faces arriving.

After securing a deal for Steven Bell, the former Pars player who left Partick Thistle in the summer, Potter also swooped to sign Heart of Midlothian midfielder, Scott McGill - who spent time on loan with Airdrieonians last season - and another midfield player, Darren Lyon, who he worked with last season at Queen's Park.

The latter two made their debuts as substitutes at New Douglas Park, and Potter added: "Steven's been brought in. He's got a bit of experience and he knows the league. He'll help us as a squad - he's a good type.

"Scott McGill, I'd seen him a bit last year at Airdrie and did well there. We managed to get him on loan, it took us a little bit of time, but he can be effective for us.

"Darren Lyon, I had him at Queen's Park when I was there for a few months at the end of last season, and he's a good player. He knows the game and he'll be a good signing for us."

Potter added that Kallum Higginbotham is "desperate to get back involved" after revealing he underwent a "slight operation", having been absent since Kelty's first competitive match of the season, against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Premier Sports Cup last month, while defender Tam O'Ware needed a "little bit of rest" due to a niggle he has picked up.