Rutherglen Glencairn co-boss hails hat-trick hero as promotion hopes kept alive

Daily Record

30-04-2025

Joe Pryce hailed hat-trick hero Boris Melingui after Glencairn shot down a Kirkintilloch Rob Roy side he feels are in a false position. The slender win at the Hamish B. Allan Stadium keeps Glencairn in the promotion hopes alive, while John Gibson's Rabs are just two points above the relegation zone. Melingui bagged an 18-minute hat-trick, putting Glens ahead in five minutes, doubling that lead in 17, and adding his third in 23 minutes, 60 seconds after an Oli Black own-goal had brought Kirkintilloch back into the game. Jamie McLean added a second goal for the visitors in 53 minutes, but Glens held on to a crucial win, adding to a 3-2 victory at Thorniewood on Wednesday, in which Melingui also scored. Pryce said: 'We got off to a really good start, scored two quite early goals, and then Rob Roy came back into it with an own-goal at 2-1 – but right away we went straight up the park and made it 3-1. 'I'm delighted for Boris to get his hat-trick. He has come in and given us a little spark that we didn't have, and he was excellent. 'Apart from his three goals, he played really well. He did that in midweek against Thorniewood, and managed to get on the score-sheet then as well. 'He's doing very well for us at the moment.' Pryce has sympathy for the visitors, who he feels are one of a few clubs who should be doing better than they are. He said: 'Rob Roy were always in this game, they played some really nice stuff. They have some really talented players, and I think they're in a false position. 'That's twice we've played them this season and they've been excellent. They have some talented players in their team, and it was a tough game for us, but I'm delighted to get the three points. 'Every game in this division is tough, every single team you play is fighting for something. 'There are no dead rubbers in this league. Rob Roy on Saturday were fighting against relegation, Kilbirnie and Irvine Meadow have found themselves in that situation as well, and these are three top clubs. 'These are teams who will feel, rightly so, that they should be in the Premier League, but for whatever reason have found themselves at the bottom of the First Division, and will be fighting tooth and nail.'