Rutherglen boss Willie Harvey says getting to a cup final could give the club a major boost this season – but the West of Scotland League Premier Division is still their focus.
After a 1-1 league draw at home to Largs Thistle at the weekend, Glens now travel to Benburb’s New Tinto Park on Saturday to take on Drumchapel United in the Strathclyde Demolition Cup semi-final.
And Harvey reckons reaching the final would be a real shot in the arm for their season on all fronts.
He said: “It’s a big game for us on Saturday, because it takes us into a cup final if we can come through it.
“That gives everyone a boost and a chance of some silverware. No matter what cup you’re in, you’d like to try and win it.
“Getting to a final could give us a real boost this season. All of a sudden everybody at the club is looking forward to a final, it helps players step up a wee bit because they don’t want to miss out.
“But with the team I’ve got I’m quite happy that they will all be trying their best anyway – I couldn’t ask them to work any harder.
“Even with the results we’ve been getting, they’ve still been working hard and turning up for training in all sorts of weather.
“To get to a cup final would be nice, but Drumchapel won’t be easy.”
Following their semi-final, Glens host Arthurlie in the Kilmarnock Pie West of Scotland League Cup second round.
Harvey’s side then close out the month with league clashes at Rossvale and at home to Cumbernauld United, and the gaffer added: “The games are coming thick and fast, but the most important games for us are the league ones.
“We need to pick up points against teams round about us. The cups are all great and we would love to win a trophy, but they’re still not as important to us as the league at the moment.”
Harvey was absent for Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Largs Thistle, but says by all accounts his team were denied a valuable win by a dubious penalty decision.
Assistant Joe Pryce took the side, with Scott Schoneville’s free kick deflecting off Largs’ Laurie McMaster to give them the lead.
William Sewell saw a shot deflected past for a late corner, with the referee pointing to the spot after spotting an infringement.
Harvey said: “Joe says it was quite a hard-fought affair, they were quite hard to break down and neither team created an awful lot of chances.
“He was very complimentary about the players because they worked very hard to get in front, and then by all accounts the penalty was very disappointing.
“The boy has put his shot away, it’s gone out for a corner, and then the tackle has gone in after the ball was out of play.
“Nobody has claimed for a penalty, the Largs players ran to get the ball, trying to do things quickly because time was running out, and suddenly the referee blows for a penalty.
“Everybody’s standing about wondering what he’s blown for, the only person who has seen anything at that point in time is the referee!
“That was really disappointing, especially when you’ve been fighting so hard.
“But at the end of the day it did break the losing routine, so that’s one positive to take from it.”
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