BLOW TO EK THISTLE PROMOTION BID CHAOTIC CLASH IRKS JAGS BOSS
Connolly livid with ref as FOUR stars see red and game nearly abandoned
East Kilbride Thistle boss Aaron Connolly has blasted the performance from referee Euan Pow in a“chaotic”clash – which saw the Jags have FOUR players sent off in the final 20 minutes of their defeat at Lugar.
Connolly’s side travelled to Ayrshire for their first match of 2024 in high spirits off the back of a six-game unbeaten run in the West of Scotland Fourth Division, and their fine run looked set to continue after Mitchell Rooney’s strike had them 1-0 up.
However, the Showpark side were left shell-shocked as whistler Pow dished out red cards to Lewis Gray for a second bookable offence, Michael Blues and Campbell Tough for dissent and then goalkeeper Kai McQuarrie got his marching orders for remonstrating with his own team-mates.
A further sending off for EK would have seen the game abandoned and forfeited under the laws of the game.
Lugar went on to run out 3-1 winners with three late goals and Connolly admits the way the game ended left him sick to his stomach.
He said: “I need to preface this by saying that referees have the toughest job on a football pitch and I don’t think they get enough support around them. At our level, they are there on their own being asked to manage 30/40 people.
“But our feeling on Saturday is that the referee has ruined a good game of football with some naive and poor officiating, which is disappointing.
“It just descended into a chaotic 20 minutes that I’ll probably never see again as long as I’m involved in football. “He lost control of the fixture.
“The first incident saw Lewis sent off and at that point Michael Blues questioned that decision, which saw him sent off for dissent.
“It was harsh and I don’t think Michael’s language was any different to what we heard during the game previously from both sets of players.
“That was in the 70th minute and after playing for 10 minutes with nine men and keeping our 1-0 lead, there was a contentious penalty decision.
“Campbell Tough tries to plead his innocence for the challenge and finds himself on the end of a red for that.
“Incredibly, the goalkeeper saved the penalty but they scrambled the ball in on the rebound for 1-1.
“But we conceded two goals in 10 minutes and our goalkeeper Kai McQuarrie was sent off for remonstrating with his own teammates about our defending for the goals.
“The overriding feeling is disbelief in how things turned out.
“But, overall I think we can still be pleased with the way our players tried to play through an incredible set of circumstances.
“The manner in which it has happened leaves a really sour taste and we are sick to the stomach after being 1-0 up in the game and in control.
“We were playing well and then all that happened, and we’ve lost our unbeaten run.
“Referees are human like everyone else, they all make mistakes, but we feel aggrieved by his performance.
“The boys who were left stood up to it and tried to still play their game, so that left us with a certain level of pride.”
It leaves the Jags with a huge gap to fill for this Saturday’s trip to Eglinton.
Connolly’s side are seventh in the table and six points off the promotion spots, having played a few games more than some of their rivals.
He added: “On top of everything, now we are missing four players who started on Saturday for the Eglinton game.
“This result gives us a mountain to climb for the rest of the season.
“We’ve had many knocks on this journey but I expect the players to stand up to it, and they will come out swinging.”
Saturday’s clash at Kilwinning Sports Grounds is a 2.30pm kick-off.