Pryce is far from right for Glens as Joe rages at two points lost
ST ROCH’S 2 RUTHERGLEN 2
RUTHERGLEN Glencairn assistant manager Joe Pryce didn’t hold back after the title challengers dropped two points in a 2-2 draw at St Rochs on Saturday.
Left in charge of team affairs as Willie Harvey was sunning himself on foreign climes, a clearly incensed Pryce was not for window dressing his side’s failure to capitalise on the home team going down to nine men over the closing stages .
“Not good enough… simply not good enough and I’ve made that message clear to each and every player in our dressing room,” was his scathing blast afterwards .
“No disrespect to St Rochs but if our aim is to be competing against the Auchinlecks and Polloks of the game then we have to be coming to places like this and going away with the points.
“Yes it was difficult out there with a bobbly pitch and a strong wind blowing but to not take advantage of hemming them in for long spells in the second half or to make the numbers tell in our favour is nowhere near good enough.”
The Ru’Glonians had goalkeeper Garry Whyte to thank for surviving a ropey opening to this Championship clash as he denied Kieran Daw and Ross Dickson with fine saves before breathing a sigh of relief when prolific Candy
Rock marksman Eddie Ferns slashed a shot high over the crossbar from no more than 10 yards out.
The large contingent of home supporters, making up a healthy 400 spectating throng, roared approval for this storming start but were stunned into silence in the 22nd minute when the Glens controversially opened the scoring totally against the run of play.
Dale Simeon’s free kick into St Rochs’ penalty box saw goalkeeper John Stark suffer a head knock as he came through a crowd of bodies and he lay prostrate on the ground as a scramble for the loose ball saw teammate Paul Tierney’s attempted clearing kick catch Glens’ striker Liam Gormley instead. Referee Jordan Patterson awarded a penalty kick despite a rash of St Rochs protestations while he allowed a lengthy spell of treatment for Stark [forced to come off at half time with a slight concussion] who was sent the wrong way from the spot by Simeon’s well-struck shot. The boost from going 1-0 up saw the visitors finish the first half on top and they continued to dominate territorially on the restart with their pressure forcing a rush from his line and mishit clearance by substitute goalkeeper Jamie McGuire that fell to Ryan McCardle but he failed to find the empty net from fully 40 yards .
St Roch’s lack of an attacking response brought the introduction from the bench of experienced front man Steff McDonald and he was to make a considerable impact, starting in 67 minutes with a lay off to Kris Lafferty whose low driven cross from wide right deflected wickedly off Glens’ captain Tony Fraser and beyond Whyte at his near post for 1-1.
McDonald skimmed a shot off the top of the crossbar in the home team’s next attacking sortie before the home fans in the James McGroy Stadium cheered with glee in the 70th minute as St Rochs took a 2-1 lead with a wonderful Ferns goal.
Jordan Logan’s through ball saw the former Senior win a race with a couple of Glens defenders and still have the presence of mind to look up and direct a superbly hit drive past Whyte.
Candy Rock supporters were in full voice now, anticipating their team chalking up a notable victory – however yet another twist to this pulsating contest arrived shortly afterwards when a second yellow card offence saw McDonald receive his marching orders.
Glencairn went for broke against the 10 men and a Tony Fraser free kick from far out was met by Simeon whose netbound header was brilliantly deflected onto the crossbar by McGuire’s diving save – however his heroics were all in vain as visiting defender Stevie Kerr clipped the rebound home to make the scoreline 2-2 .
St Rochs were forced ever deeper going into the closing minutes and their attempts to alleviate the pressure suffered a hammer blow as willing runner Ferns was harshly red carded for a tackle that brought down Glens full-back Alex Grier near the halfway line.
Furious home supporters vented their feelings at referee Patterson.
Candy Rock boss Andy Cameron insisted: “It’s backs to the wall stuff when you are down to nine men but I’m not going to say this was a good point to pick up because my view is this was more a case of two points being dropped.
“Glencairn are a very good side but we were better than them early days only to be foiled by their goalkeeper – and then you have the farcical situation of us falling behind because of the referee refusing to stop the game for Starky’s injury.
“The balance of the game is changed by Steff McDonald coming on but that advantage is taken away by a first yellow card that I would have to say is every bit as harsh as his second was deserved.”