Glens get job done to climb up league table
CUMBERNAULD UNITED ..................... 0 RUTHERGLEN GLENCAIRN ................. 2
Rutherglen Glencairn turned in one of their worst performances of the season as they ran out 2-0 winners at Cumbernauld United – but boss Willie Harvey was delighted with the three points.
A Ryan McManus double helped Glens up to fifth in the West of Scotland League First Division table, but though Harvey says Glencairn edged it, he felt neither side really got to grips with the game at Guy’s Meadow.
McManus netted his first goal in eight minutes and made sure of the points with his 17th goal of the season in 71 minutes, three minutes after United’s David Quinn was sent off for a second yellow card.
Harvey wasn’t enthused by the performance, but was pleased with a vital win.
“We’ve actually played better and lost games,” he said, “but the main thing on Saturday was the three points, and a clean sheet.
“It was a great result and we defended really well. Never at any point did I feel as if we were under any threat.
“We scored an early goal, and we thought we would have pushed on from there, but it became a wee bit dogged.
“At no point did either of the two teams actually control the game, and it was basically down to the fact that we had chances and we took them – I never felt under any threat from Cumbernauld at any point, though they worked hard and they pushed us.”
Harvey added: “We didn’t play as well as we have been, but we still go the three points, and right now that’s all that matters.
“If we get performances it’s great, but the main thing is picking up the three points.
“It was a particularly pleasing result, because you always know you’re going to get a tight game against Cumbernauld.
“Their manager Tony Fraser, being one of our ex-players and ex-coaches, doesn’t want to be beat by us, and we certainly don’t want to be beat by one of our former coaches!
“I would say we shaded it, but not to the extent that we were outstanding winners – it was just a case that we created and took our chances.
“I didn’t feel that Cumbernauld created a lot against us on Saturday.”
Harvey reckons having a fully fit squad has been the catalyst to Glencairn’s impressive form run, but says his players deserve a lot of credit.
He said: “It’s just unfortunate that we had so many injuries at the start of the season, and even with that we weren’t losing a lot of games, we were drawing them.
“It actually shows the fighting qualities of the players and I can’t fault them – to a man, every one of them has been absolutely brilliant.
“It’s a really good team effort at the minute.”