Willie Harvey insists Rutherglen Glencairn should never have lost 6-2 to Cumnock, but admits their fourth goal ‘destroyed’ his side.
The Nock raced into a 3-0 interval lead in the West of Scotland League Premier Division tussle at Townhead Park, but Glencairn pulled it back to 3-2 through Jack McIlveen and Tommy Lone’s penalty, and were going in search of a leveller, when Cumnock netted a killer fourth.
Harvey admits that took the wind out of their sails, and left two of his defenders in no uncertain terms about where they went wrong when the dust had settled.
He said: “In the first half we were very poor, were 3-0 down, and 20 minutes into the second half it was 3-2 and quite easily could have been 4-3 to us.
“We had two really terrific chances, but then lost a really stupid goal – a bye-kick went right through two of my players. They could have dealt with it no problem, but let it run by them and they scored, which was totally unforgiveable.
“The players know who they are. I went through them at full-time, because it was the fourth goal that killed us, not the fifth or sixth.
“The 6-2 scoreline... it was never a 6-2 scoreline. The fourth goal destroyed us.
“The fifth goal was an outstanding free-kick from Andy McLaughlin – if you watched it on Match of the Day or something you’d be jumping up shouting ‘what a goal’.
“It was right into the top corner, right into the 90 degree – you wouldn’t have got a penny between the ball and any of the corners, it was terrific.
“But the lead-up play to the free kick... we could have dealt with it and got it cleared.”
Harvey revealed he did get a reaction on out his side after a half-time rollicking, but his side couldn’t get the breaks they also needed to take something.
He added: “On Saturday things just went that wee bit against us.
“It got us angry, there was a 20-minute period after half-time where we were much better.
“We got them in at half-time, basically read the riot act, changed the shape that we were playing, and got right back into the game.
“For that 20 minutes we looked like the team that we can be, it looked like there was only one team that was going to get another goal.
“The Cumnock managers said at 3-2 they thought they were in trouble, if we got a third one they were going to lose. But that’s all ifs and buts.”
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