Harvey slams Glens
First-half show was worst yet says boss
Glencairn gaffer Willie Harvey did not hold back in describing his team’s performance at Largs on Saturday.
The Rutherglen men slumped to a 2-0 defeat and were reduced to nine men on a miserable afternoon on the Ayrshire coast.
Harvey branded their first half performance as one of the worst he had witnessed since becoming boss and he blasted Jordan Leydon who was shown a red card for mouthing off at the referee just when Glens looked to be on top.
A win would have lifted Glens into the top half of the table with every other game in the division falling foul of the weather, but instead they remain 10th.
Harvey said: “It was really disappointing.
“The last time I had a conversation with the Reformer (after the 6-0 win over Stonehaven in the Scottish Cup) I said it was one of the best I had seen since I came here, but that first half was one of the worst. We just didn’t turn up.
“I said to the players at half time, it was like Largs were out there playing no one.
“We had to make some changes in the defence and I don’t know if that’s upset us but it shouldn’t have. We should be able to cope with that situation.
“The midfield was nonexistent with passes going astray, it really was horrible to watch.
“We got them in at half time and we did improve.
“Even when we went down to 10 men, they weren’t putting us under any pressure and we were always in it. All it would have taken was a wee break.”
Any chance Glens had evaporated when Leydon saw red.
He had just been booked when we used foul and abusive language toward sthe ref, who showed him a second yellow and subsequent red.
Craig McGregor had earlier been sent for an early bath, again after picking up two bookings, but the bulk of Harvey’s anger was very much directed at Leydon.
He said: “McGregor has come inside on a run and you could see the ball escaping from him then he’s went in for a tackle.
“When we spoke after the game he said he slipped.
“Jordan was left in no uncertain terms what we thought.
“I very rarely vent my anger at just one player but he felt the full force of it.
“He’s a young boy, but he’s at an age where you should know you just don’t swear at the referee, especially just after being booked. In fact, even 16 and 17 year olds should know that.
“There’s no excuses. If anything he’ll learn from the experience but that cost the team.”