Glens grind out win to climb the league
NEILSTON ............................................... 0 RUTHERGLEN GLENCAIRN ................. 1
Rutherglen Glencairn made their own luck to snatch a win over Neilston and jump up three places to 10th in the West of Scotland First Division, says boss Willie Harvey.
Jack McIlveen’s 80th-minute strike gave Glens back-to-back league wins and prevented another damaging draw in horrendous conditions at Brig O’Lea, and Harvey says it was thoroughly deserved.
But he insists goalkeeper Matt McGinley kept them in the game just before McIlveen struck.
He said: “It was looking very much like we were going for a draw on Saturday again and to be honest I couldn’t have complained too much, because the conditions were horrendous.
“We played really well – both teams did well, Neilston put up a really good, spirited fight – but we played some really good football in really bad conditions.
“It was a deserved win. We could have had the game out of sight in the first half, Ryan McManus could have had a double, big Jack McIlveen could have had a double, their goalkeeper had a save, we hit the bar – genuinely we could have gone in 3-0 or 4-0 up.
“We didn’t take our chances, but we never really looked under any threat in the first half.
“Then at 0-0 Matt McGinley has made an absolutely brilliant save on a one-onone, and not long after that we went up and got the winner.
“Sometimes you make your own luck, and on Saturday I think that was a wee bit of luck that we have thoroughly deserved.
“I felt that we played really well and we certainly deserved to get the win.”
New signing Dominic McLaughlin started the game, while fellow new boys Ross Smith and Matthew Gear were on the bench.
Harvey has been pleased with recent performances and says it’s because he has a full squad from which to choose.
He added: “We’ve been on a really good run and a lot to do with that is having a full-strength team.
“We’re having to pick a team, it’s not picking itself and we can make changes.
“I’m happy with the squad, my only concern is a wee bit up front, if we get injuries.
“We’re waiting on a young player coming back from Portugal, who has been on a family holiday over the whole Christmas period and I expect to see him back at training this week, and that’s young Darcio Santos.
“Fingers crossed that gives us our extra front man.”
Glens now play host St Roch’s tonight (Wednesday) followed by Johnstone Burgh on Saturday.