McColl’s call for calm after match chaos
Lang trio see red as tempers flare
Cambuslang Rangers boss Paul McColl insists there is no discipline problem at the club - after three sendings-off in a minute on Saturday.
Chaotic scenes resulted in three quick sendingsoff for Cambuslang, and led to their second consecutive home defeat.
A scrappy contest exploded into life three minutes into the second half when Lang midfielder Scott Faulds was shown a straight red card for a tough tackle on Colin Spence.
As the home players surrounded referee Calum Scott in protest, striker John Gemmell was shown a second yellow card for dissent to leave his side down to nine men.
Raging Rangers boss Paul McColl was then dismissed from the dugout for remonstrating with the match officials as the fallout spilled onto the sidelines.
Manager McColl, who faces a disciplinary hearing at Hampden Park next week, said: “It sounds like the same old story, but once again we’ve lost a match because of terrible refereeing.
“None of us should have been sent off at the weekend. Scott Faulds’ challenge was a yellow card at most, and John Gemmell only asked the referee why it was a straight red.
“I asked the linesman to call the referee over, and the ref sent me off, saying I was using abusive language to the linesman.
“He told me, ‘get off the park - or I’m abandoning the game’.
“It was ridiculous and I even had a group of Irvine Meadow fans approach me after the game to tell me they thought it was unfair and that the ref’s performance was abysmal.
“There is no discipline problem at this club with the players or myself. Very poor refereeing is costing us matches.”
The first chance of the match fell Meadow’s way in two minutes when Darren Miller headed Jared Willet’s free-kick straight at goalkeeper Ian Stewart from six yards.
However, the heavy pitch conditions meant that little chances were created for the rest of the half.
Following the drama early in the second half, Meadow scored immediately after play eventually resumed.
Calum Gow bulleted home a header from the free-kick that had been awarded to Irvine, before Captain Ben Carson swept home a second goal from the edge of the box just four minutes later.
Meadow were awarded a penalty in 76 minutes after Mark Staunton was adjudged to have obstructed Darren Jones but the striker’s weak spot kick was saved.
Cambuslang face Yoker this Saturday in the first round of the Ardagh Group West of Scotland Cup.
Their opponents are sitting mid-table in the West Region’s League One - two divisions below Lang - having won three of their 12 league matches this season.