Anthony Gerrard's strike after 70 minutes was enough to separate the teams as the Tigers continue their push for a play-off place in the npower Championship.
Clough said: "We couldn't ask for any more than what they have given and it wasn't just the effort, I thought the standard of performance was very good as well.
"The players are in there with their heads in their hands and some of them are young and don't understand how cruel it can be in football at times.
"At times it seems that everything conspires against us at the moment from the goalkeeping situation to on the pitch.
"The only thing was we didn't hit the target, in the first half we had three or four situations but didn't hit the target and in the second half when we did it was more a case of bad luck the ball didn't end up in the net."
Source: PA
