NEVER REF A GLENS GAME EVERA GAIN
Raging assistant boss hits out at official and insists he was the ‘best player ’for the other team
Raging Rutherglen Glencairn assistant manager Joe Pryce says referee Ross Clark should never come to the Hamish B. Allan Stadium again after a “disgusting” display against Kirkintilloch Rob Roy.
The whistler reduced both teams to 10 men and gave two penalties to the away team as Luke Kelly and Craig Scott goals sealed victory for the visitors, despite Fraser Malcolm’s late effort.
Glens’ Tam Miller was sent off inside 12 minutes after the ball looked to have come off his chest, but was deemed handball.
Robbie Young missed the subsequent spot-kick.
Another penalty was given in the second half for reasons unbeknown to most inside the stadium, with the incident which led to it not even clear, as Scott netted a decisive goal before Kerr McCormick’s Rob Roy red.
Sitting 13th and a spot above the West of Scotland Football League Premier Division drop zone, 14th and 15th place Largs Thistle and Glenafton Athletic have games in hand over Glens leaving their top flight survival now out of their hands.
Glens boss Willie Harvey was absent from the match, with Pryce stepping up to the hot seat – and he was not shy in giving his opinion on Clark’s display.
He said: “In my time in the game, it is the most disgusting performance I have ever seen from a referee. It’s the most disgusting. “Credit to Rob Roy and their players, this isn’t down to them, they have been on a great run.
“This isn’t down to them at all but the referee was their best player.
“He booked nine players and sent two players off.
“The way he talked to players was absolutely ridiculous.
“It is the absolute worst. “For our players to bust their backsides and work so hard all season, and for the referee to turn up to do that to us? Absolutely disgusting.
“That man should never, ever, referee another Glencairn game ever again. He shouldn’t be anywhere near this place.
“I want to make sure all of this is in, as the players have put so much into the game.
“When you have that many bookings and sending offs with hardly a tackle in the game at all. Disgusting.
“The way the officials were speaking to players too was something I have never seen before.
“The guy can’t come near the club ever again.
“He’s got the whistle in his mouth ahead of the second penalty.
“We could see from 30 yards there that’s what he was going to give.
“He is desperate to blow for it. Disgusting.
“For 80 minutes he was desperate to send another one of our players off.”
A huge game with Pollok on the final day of their season this Saturday now awaits Pryce and his players.
The No.2 added: “My players somehow kept their discipline so full credit to them.
“We still have another game to go this weekend so we have to regroup and make sure that man doesn’t define our season.”