'We folded like a cheap suit': Glenrothes FC co-boss John Martin assesses 4-0 loss at Penicuik Athletic
There was more pain on the road for Glenrothes FC in the East of Scotland Football League Premier Division last Saturday, with the 4-0 loss at Penicuik Athletic making it five away league defeats out of five for Glens this season, during which time they’ve conceded 26 times while scoring six.
After holding Cuikie to a goalless first half, Glenrothes suffered after the interval as Aaron Somerville’s tap in, a pair of sharp finishes by Michael Mbewe and a Scott-Taylor MacKenzie penalty earned the hosts a four-goal victory.
Glens’ co-manager John Martin told the Glenrothes Gazette: “It was definitely a game of two halves. Everything was going to the game plan, we hit them on the break and created two or three chances and their keeper’s pulled off two good saves.
"Our goalie never even had a save to make in the first half.
"So it was easy at half-time. Myself and Kev (fellow co-boss Kev Smith) told the boys to keep doing what they were doing and if we get another chance, take it and we could maybe try and turn the screw.
"But unfortunately that’s not how it went. Penicuik came out and caught us out with a long ball over the top, it picked them up and we folded like a cheap suit after that.
"The heads went down and it was tough to watch in the second half.
"It seems to be that whenever we lose a goal, the guys are thinking: ‘Here we go again’.
"But the quicker we get out of that mentality the better. We want to try and get the guys’ heads up and keep going.
"We are creating chances. I would be worried if we weren’t and we were getting penned in the whole game.
"We are playing some good football at times, so it’s really frustrating.”
It doesn’t get any easier for Glens in the league this Saturday (kick-off 3pm) as they visit a Hutchison Vale side who beat them 6-0 at Warout Stadium in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup third round only on September 28.
"That will be a wee test of the players’ mentality,” Martin said. “It’s never nice getting turned over by six goals so you’re hoping our guys will come back with a response to that in this game and get the result we’re looking for.
"Myself and Kev will need to get the guys up for it. That’s what we get paid to do – well I’m saying get paid – that’s what we’re there to do because we don’t really get paid!
"We’re there to pick the boys up when it’s needed and we’ll be doing that.”
Glens have a full strength squad for the match, with striker Stuart Cargill in contention to start having come on for the last 20 minutes in Penicuik.