McColl sent to stands
Camby boss stunned by match bans
Rangers boss given six-game touchline ban
Cambuslang Rangers boss Paul McColl was left stunned after being hit with a six-game touchline ban last week.
The manager was handed a the harsh punishment following incidents at recent matches with Beith and Clydebank.
McColl was confronted by a Beith fan and he and one of his players got involved in a heated exchange with the man, while at the Clydebank game McColl criticised a linesman for his performance.
The Scottish Junior Football Association dished out a six-game suspension, which meant McColl had to watch Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Pollok from the terracing.
He told the Reformer: “I didn’t even know I’d been suspended. I was told by someone else who saw it on the Scottish Junior FA website. Apparently I’ve also been fined £50 after the Beith game, which I knew nothing about, and then got reported after the Clydebank game too because I told the linesman he should have been ashamed with his performance.
“So I wasn’t properly informed about all of this and then I discovered I was too late to appeal.
“I don’t think I’ve been treated fairly, but I’ve just got to get on with it and keep my cool.
“Hopefully we can get a couple of wins soon and everything can get back to normal.”
Camby player Craig McLeish also found himself on the suspension list on the SJFA website.
He was hit with a three-match ban after receiving a straight red card in last week’s match with Clydebank. The Lang were 3-1 up when McLeish was given his marching orders following a clash with Clydebank’s Chris Black.
He had jumped up for a header and the linesman ruled he had elbowed his opponent.
However, manager McColl was furious, arguing that McLeish is not a dirty player and never intentionally hurt the Clydebank player.
The linesman then wrongly gave a throw-in to Clydebank, which led to a goal – and McColl’s criticism of the official after the game.
McColl and McLeish’s suspension took effect from Friday, and the gaffer won’t be back on the touchline until Saturday, October 6, when Cambuslang take on Renfrew at Somervell Park.
I don’t think I’ve been treated fairly but I’ve got to get on with it
Paul McColl this week insisted that his side would have had more points on the board – if they hadn’t been hit with four away games on the trot.
The Lang boss feels his team have been disadvantaged with this season’s fixtures, having had four consecutive away matches.
The latest games saw Cambuslang being knocked out of the West of Scotland Cup after losing 2-0 to East Kilbride last Wednesday night, and a narrow 3-2 league defeat to Pollok on Saturday.
McColl said: “I just can’t believe we’ve had four away games in a row. That’s nonsense.
“We’ve just come into this league and we’re looking for some fairness, but we’re not getting it.
“It’s costing us because we’re strong at home, so we could probably have had another five points by now if we hadn’t always been playing away.
“I would much rather have had a good start in the league than potentially toiling at the end of the year and having to play four or five games in two weeks.”
Bryan Young put Pollok ahead right on half-time when his shot took a wicked deflection off defender Jack Breslin and flew into the top corner.
But with 20 minutes remaining Lang levelled when John Gemmell stooped to head home Chris Duff’s cross.
It only lasted 10 minutes thanks to Adam Forde who headed home Ewan McNeil’s free-kick.
And Lok were two up in 84 minutes when former Albion Rovers defender McMullin drilled into the bottom corner.
Darren Ramsay made it 3-2 with a neat injury time finish, but it was too late for Cambuslang to take anything from the game. Cambuslang face Kilbirnie Ladeside this Saturday – playing away once again.
The Ayrshire side lost their previous home game 2-0 to Largs, but with two wins already on the board they currently sit four places above Cambuslang in the league.
McColl said: “There’s no easy games now. Kilbirnie have been in the league for a few seasons and we’ve just come up, so it’ll be a tough game.
“But we’ve played good teams so far and matched them. If we play the way we’ve been playing then we’ve got nothing to worry about.”
A player who will be one of the first names on McColl’s team sheet is centre half Scott Faulds, who recently signed for the club.
The Cambuslang man hadn’t played in months but has been a stand-out in the last two games.
McColl said: “Fauldsy has been outstanding since he came in.
“I’m 100 percent certain he’ll be starting on Saturday.”