Boss reads the riot act
Frustration as winning run comes to an end
Cambuslang Rangers gaffer Paul McColl has told his players they must listen to the coaching staff or face the exit door at Somervell Park.
The Wee Gers boss was disappointed with some of his team’s attitude during the 3-3 draw at home to Kello Rovers who are the first side in the division to take points off the boys in blue.
Lapses in defence were to be the home side’s downfall as their 100 per cent record was ended by a late equaliser and a red card to skipper Kris Gebbie. The 24-year-old was shown two yellows in quick succession and McColl reckons he is among a few who will have to learn from their mistakes.
The boss said: “I was disappointed with some of the players’ attitudes. If they don’t listen to the guys who are trying to guide them then they’ll be out the door. Some of them have only been playing junior football for two years and you’re like ‘Come on now.’
“A couple of them got the message after the game.
“Our captain Gebbie was sent off and he’ll learn from that. I thought he was unfortunate in his second booking but we are getting booked for silly, silly things.”
Despite missing influential midfielder Dale Simeon, who was on holiday, and Chris Meikle because of injury, The Lang started well and took the lead inside seven minutes. The ball was fired across the goal which was deflected in off a Kello defender.
After Kello went close at the other end, Callum McRobbie pounced on
a poor kick-out by the Rovers keeper but the Lang striker fired wide of the open goal.
The visitors were level on 20 minutes when Lang keeper Ian Stewart let the ball squirm under him from a Kello striker’s shot.
But McColl’s men were soon back in front as Thomas Kilmartin and McRobbie combined, the latter firing Lang into the lead.
Kello equalised two minutes after the break when Barry Eley’s clearance landed in front of an opposition player who slotted past Stewart from 12 yards. Kilmartin was replaced by John Gemmell and it didn’t take long for the striker to get on the scoresheet midway through the second half. The ex-Clyde man picked the ball up and from 25 yards struck the ball into the top corner, leaving the keeper a spectator.
Even though McRobbie was denied a second goal for Lang by the assistant’s offside flag, Kello were creating all sorts of problems for the home side as they bossed the middle of the park.
And they found a deserved equaliser from a breakaway with minutes remaining. Hal Bohme’s shot was well saved by the Kello No.1 and the visitors charged up the other end to score, sparking wild celebrations.
Things went from bad to worse when defender Gebbie picked up two quick bookings and was sent for an early bath just as Kello nearly found a winner but their tall striker missed with a header from six yards out.
McColl said: “At half-time we were 2-1 ahead in what was a stop-start game but we lost some ridiculous goals.
“The first one, I think the keeper knows he should have done better, the ball has slipped under him.
“The second, I didn’t get a good view of it but I think Barry Eley has blootered the ball which hit off one of our defenders and it’s fallen to one of their players who’s put it away.
“The third is a breakaway and Callum McRobbie should have done better because he’s lost the ball in the middle of the park. We should have killed the game when we were on top though.
“To be fair, Kello are not a bad team although they did celebrate like they had won the league when they equalised.”