Wilsons Sandbox

I just got my new chain, and am attempting to put it on. I cannot get the master link squished together enough to get that circlip- kinda thing to clip on. It seems I the link that goes underneath the circlip won't go down far enough. I want to get a vise grip on it to force it to, but before I do that, I want to ask the collective if there is an obvious way that I'm overlooking? Help please? Thanks in advance! Karl