GLENS’ GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Home wins vital for title quest, says gaffer
Willie Harvey has told his Rutherglen Glencairn players they must win their home games if they are to clinch the West of Scotland League Premier Division title this term.
Harvey’s men kick- off their campaign at home to Largs Thistle and he expects to beat anybody they play at the Hamish B Allan Stadium.
This is their first taste of competitive action after Glencairn’s SoccerShop Challenge Cup game at Thornton Hibs was rained off, and while Harvey would have liked a ‘warmup’, he expects big things from his players.
He said: “We’re at home, you’ve got to pick up points, because if you’re not winning your home games you’re not going to be in a title challenge, you’re going to be on the opposite end of the spectrum.
“Playing at home, we’ll be expecting to pick up points from games there against anybody that we play.
“Hopefully we get the three points and that kicks us off for the rest of the season.
“It wouldn’t be the first time that I’ve seen us win the first game of the season and then go three or four games without a win after that, but I don’t expect that to happen this season so I’m looking forward to it.
“I would have liked to have got the cup game on, but you saw the rain through Friday night.
“In fairness, we appreciate the fact that they contacted us so early in the morning, so we were able to cancel the bus and things like that. There’s basically nothing you can do, so we just get on with it and prepare for Largs.”
Harvey knows what to expect when he comes up against a Largs Thistle side that Glencairn have locked horns with before.
“It ’ s a team we know reasonably well,” said Harvey.
“I don’t think they’ve made a great amount of changes to the squad since we played them last year, so I’m expecting the type of game I’m used to against them.
“They’re a good, hard-working team, quite physical when they need to be, and well-drilled.”
Harvey hopes the call-off isn’t a sign of things to come and wants to get a consistent run going.
He said: “Coming off a good result against Shotts in a friendly and having a good pre-season, the last thing we want to do is go into hibernation because the games are off.
“Largs is not a friendly, it does actually mean something, so I would expect my players to be all geared up for this.”