Naysmith seeing red over foul language

Players will be left to count higher cost for abusive language toward referees

East Fife’s squad have agreed to hit themselves harder in the pocket after seeing red over the past couple of weekends.

The Fifers have had three players sent off in the past two games, two of those – Jonathan Page against Airdrie last week and Paul McManus on Saturday – for abusive language towards the referee.

At Livingston keeper Mark Hurst was also sent for an early bath after rushing off his line and fouling Danny Mullen.

Boss Gary Naysmith said the nature of Page’s and McManus’s sendings off in particular are unacceptable, and his players themselves have already agreed to stricter policing of themselves.

“It doesn’t look good for us as a club that, when you’re getting beaten, players are being sent off for foul and abusive language, and I won’t tolerate it,” said Naysmith.

“We’re already down to the bare bones and now we’re without Mark for a game and Paul for maybe several.

“Paul has just come on the pitch and doesn’t have the frustration we have of playing in the game.

“Mark’s I can accept because that happens in football that you make the wrong decision to go for the ball.

“But I won’t tolerate the foul and abusive language.

“There are fines in place at the club for that and the players know that. I’ve spoken to them again, though, and we’ve agreed that it will now be significantly more.”

The Fifers had beaten Livi 3-1 in the first fixture between the two earlier this season at Bayview.

And they started brightly at the Tony Macaroni Arena with Tony Wallace and Kevin O’Hara both going close.

It was the hosts who took the lead, though, with former Fife striker Liam Buchanan finishing off a Mikey Miller cut back.

The task looked almost impossible when Livi went two ahead shortly after the restart when Miller got his name on the scoresheet by firing home a direct free-kick.

But the Fifers refused to go down without a fight and Kevin Smith pulled one back when he showed some neat control in the box before beating Liam Kelly.

The game would swing again in Livi’s favour, though, with Hurst being shown a straight red for his block on Mullen.

From the resultant penalty kick Buchanan wrapped up the win before McManus walked after directing some abuse towards ref Craig Napier.

Picture: SNS. Gary Naysmith said foul and abusive language will not be tolerated after recent red cards.