Rutherglen Glencairn boss launches referee blast with 'tip-toeing through a minefield' statement

Rutherglen Glencairn manager Willie Harvey doesn’t want to get himself into trouble – but he can’t help but blast the current standard of refereeing after a controversial penalty went against his team.

A corner early in the match against Cumbernauld United - who were reduced to nine men by full-time - looked like a routine play, but referee Euan Birch pointed to the spot, to the fury of Glens.

Dale Fulton converted the spot-kick and it was enough for the away side to claim all three points, leaving the Hamish B. Allan Stadium side without a win in six league matches.

Harvey was far from happy with Birch’s performance against his team and believes that across the board, some referees believe they have a higher status.

He fumed: “The big decision is the penalty in the first seven or eight minutes. I don’t cry about it usually but I will cry about it this time.

“I can’t say what I want to say as it’s then printed and I get in trouble. The two goalkeepers could’ve had a game of cards in the dressing room.

“Not one has had a save to make and both teams were poor. It was very disappointing from our side as we created lots of chances from corners without taking any.

“We are very disappointed in some of the refereeing decisions. That’s about as diplomatic as I can put it as at the moment, we feel a bit hard done by.

“I am tip-toeing through a minefield. We get hammered for everything we say. Referees on the park aren’t being held accountable in my view, which is very disappointing.

“There has to be constraint, of course, but the standard of refereeing is poor.”

Things don’t get easier for Rutherglen Glencairn as they take on third-place Clydebank this weekend. They still have first and second-placed Auchinleck Talbot and Pollock