The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Mcglynn sees a point gained, not two lost
RAITH ROVERS: Match marred by three red cards for the second week running
FALKIRK 1 RAITH ROVERS 1
Raith Rovers manager John Mcglynn felt his side earned a good point at Falkirk Stadium despite playing most of the match with a numerical advantage.
The home side had Charlie Telfer red-carded after just 13 minutes for a poor challenge on Regan Hendry, who was making his return after eight weeks out with a knee injury, and Rovers took advantage to lead at the break through Jamie Gullan’s 37th-minute header, glancing home a cross from Kieran Macdonald.
The Kirkcaldy side were pegged back by the 10 men after the break when their former striker Declan Mcmanus equalised from close range after Ross Munro had parried a shot from Louis Longridge.
Numbers were then evened up when Kyle Benedictus became the third Raith player to be sent off in two weeks after collecting a second booking for pulling back Mcmanus, leaving the already depleted away side with a makeshift back four.
However, Falkirk would finish with nine men after the late dismissal of Morgaro Gomis, who also picked up a second caution for denying Kieron Bowie a clear run on goal.
Having been involved in a match with three red cards for the second week running, Mcglynn was satisfied with the draw that kept Raith top of League One on goal difference.
“We had a numerical advantage but we’ve all seen games where 10 has won against 11 – it can happen especially away from home in this situation,” he said.
“There’s always a grievance when you don’t think you should be down to 10 men and it probably helped them to have a cause to fight for.
“When Kyle is sent off we end up with a back four of Jamie Watson, Dave Mckay, Kieran Macdonald and Dan Armstrong – if you put names in a hat you couldn’t come up with that.
“Granted they went down to nine men late on, and we went with two up top to try and get a win if we could, but there’s no damage done with regards to the four point gap to Falkirk.”
Mcglynn slammed his skipper, Benedictus, for getting himself at a time when Rovers are already depleted by injury and suspension.
“Bene’s stupid,” he said.
“The first rule of defending is don’t let the ball bounce, but he lets it bounce and then he’s ended up fouling Declan and, on a yellow card, it was always going to be that outcome.”
Former Raith winger Longridge, Falkirk’s star man on the day, admitted the hosts were also happy with a point despite having looked the more likely side to win the match following the Benedictus red card, with Mark Durnan coming close with an 80th minute attempt that hit the bar.
“I thought the team worked hard and dug deep and we’ve managed to get a point from the game,” he said.
“Considering the way the game panned out I think it was probably a fair result in the end.”
“There’s always a grievance when you don’t think you should be down to 10 men and it probably helped them to have a cause to fight for. JOHN MCGLYNN