Rutherglen Glencairn exited the West of Scotland Cup with a defeat to Drumchapel United (Image: Peter Ferguson)

Rutherglen Glencairn face '20 cup finals' as they target league promotion

by · Daily Record

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Rutherglen Glencairn co-boss Joe Pryce says his side face 20 league ‘finals’ now that his side are out of all four cup competitions.

Pryce’s focus is now fully on promotion from the West of Scotland First Division, following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat against Premier League high-fliers Drumchapel United, starting at Renfrew on Saturday.

Glencairn are joint-top of the First Division on 23 points with leaders Arthurlie and third-placed St Roch’s, all separated by goal difference, though Rock have played a game more.

Pryce reckons that’s a good position to be in after the first 10 league games, and hopes for a similar tally from the next lot.

He said: “We’ve got Renfrew on Saturday, which is a huge game, the biggest game of the season, and a really tough one.

“Renfrew have been doing really well and are on our tails, so we’re going to have to play really well to get a victory on Saturday, and we’ll certainly need to improve our own performance from Saturday if we’re going to do that.

“We have 20 games left, it’s basically 20 cup finals, and every one gets bigger as we move along.

“There are no distractions, no excuses.

Glencairn co-bosses Joe Pryce (right) and Billy Ogilvie will now try to gain promotion from the First Division (Image: Peter Ferguson)

“We know what we’ve got to do, and hopefully we will get a few bodies back this week, which will help us.

“Player availability is key, and hopefully that gives us more of an opportunity to get three points on Saturday.

“After 10 games we’ve got 23 points, so we’re doing relatively well, and let’s hope we can get another similar tally from the next 10 games.

“But the first and most important one is Renfrew on Saturday. That’s what all our thoughts will be this week in training, concentrating on trying to get a result.

“That’s really our aim, three points.”

Pryce’s side were given a taste of the top flight when they came up against Drumchapel United, and Pryce says that’s the aspiration.

He said: “The defeat tells us that it’s going to be very difficult, but we know that.

“When you look at the quality that a side like Drumchapel have, we know it’s going to be difficult, but that’s where we aim to be.

“We’ll be looking to play against sides of that quality every week, so we know we will have to improve, and we’ll have to be at it every week, because if you’re not, you’ll lose.”

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