Cambuslang Rangers given a 'reality check' by Beith in Premier League opener

Cambuslang Rangers co-boss Billy Campbell admits their opening day defeat in the top flight was a steep learning curve for his side, but he’s still seen plenty in the performance that offers him encouragement for the season ahead.

Visitors Beith ran out 3-1 winners at Somervell Park on Saturday after Callum McLean had equalised to pull Camby level going into the half-time interval.

It was Camby’s first match in the Premier Division after last season’s Conference B title win and it proved to be a bit of a reality check for the squad.

And although he had some positives to take from the clash, Campbell and co-boss Paul McColl warned his side they need to learn from their mistakes if they are to make a fist of it in a division that includes the likes of big spending Auchinleck Talbot, Pollok and Darvel.

“It was a bit of a sharp learning curve for them right away,” Campbell conceded. “Is it a surprise to Paul and I? Absolutely not. We know fine well what’s coming here if we don’t turn up.

“It was as tough as we were expecting it to be but we never got to grips with the game in the first 20 minutes.

“We settled in after that and we were playing relatively well.

“We got the equaliser and came in at half-time, feeling positive.

“There were a couple of things tweaked and then we lose an early goal to go 2-1 down. But we are still in the game at that point. We had a chance with Callum but unfortunately he didn’t take it. Then we make another fundamental error and get punished.

“Were they major mistakes? No, but they were enough where, at this level and the calibre of player you are playing against, you get punished.

“So from that perspective it has been a bit of an attention grabber for the boys.

“They know we need to be tidier