Rutherglen Glencairn paid the price for 'anxiousness' taking hold in Renfrew defeat, says boss

Rutherglen Glencairn boss Joe Pryce admits his players got anxious after taking the lead at Renfrew on Saturday and that is what ultimately cost them the game.

The Glens were playing their first West of Scotland First Division game in two months when they travelled to New Western Park and it all started so well when Ryan McManus fired them in front from the penalty spot after 15 minutes.

However, Renfrew turned the game on its head with three goals in the space of eight minutes early in the second half through Joseph Gillespie, Andrew Skinner and Andrew Wright.

Skinner made it 4-1 in 83 minutes before Martin McBride’s stoppage time effort made the scoreline more respectable for Glens.

Pryce said: “It was a disappointing defeat and the manner of it was disappointing as well.

“We were 1-0 up and looking fine in the game. We were playing okay, there were some good passages of play and we could have got a second goal. We hit the post and the ball bounced back out.

“But once we conceded the first goal, we just seemed to get a bit anxious.

“Credit to Renfrew, they spotted that and really punished us for it.

“Within 10 minutes we had conceded three goals.

“I don’t know why we got anxious. When we were watching it from the side, we just seemed to be a wee bit sixes and sevens at the back. We will work on that this week.

“But I can’t be too harsh on the players. They have been excellent recently and up until Saturday we had the best defensive record in the league.

“So it wasn’t something we really saw coming.

“There are no complaints about the scoreline. Renfrew deserved their victory and we just have to dust ourselves down.”

The result has Glens fifth in the table, level with fourth-place Kilwinning Rangers on 23 points, and six