Furious East Kilbride Thistle boss Mark Steele accused Knightswood of ‘taking liberties’ with some of their challenges on his players in Saturday’s 1-1 draw.
The Jags took a point off of the league leaders, but Steele feels they should have taken all three on a day they rattled the West of Scotland Fourth Division’s top side.
Steele claims their hosts took their physicality too far, but he was pleased to see how well they stood up to the Knightswood ‘gang.’
Ryan Anderson equalised for the Jags in the second half after Liam Strain had but Knightswood in front before half-time.
And Steele said: “I’ve got mixed emotions ranging from disappointed that we only got one point, to angry that liberties were being taken by Knightswood on our players.
“If they finished the first half with nine men, they wouldn’t have complained. We are not talking just challenges from the waist down, there were elbows and punches.
“I’m pleased with how the boys stood up to it as best they could because we’re not going to turn into a gang.
“I am not having a go at the referee because he has got the most difficult job on a Saturday, there on his own.
“It disappoints me what we had to endure on Saturday, but that is not on the referee, that is on Knightswood.
“If that is how they want to fend off any challenge they face, that’s up to them, but it pleased me we stood up to it.
“I could hear the players pleading with the referee in the first half for a wee bit of protection.
“Knightswood probably turned up expecting just to turn us over.
“In the first half we were excellent and, but for some goalkeeping heroics, we could have been 3-0 or 4-0 up at half-time.
“Some of his saves were ridiculous and how he is playing at this level, I don’t know. A point was the least we deserved.”
The result keeps the Jags eighth in the table and 11 points off the promotion spots going into the festive break.
Steele added: “There’s plenty of points still to play for. We are not aiming for a mid-table finish, we are targeting the promotion places.
“I believe we can get there and we are positive about that going into the new year.”
Thistle are back on Saturday, January 5, when they host Giffnock in a league clash.
Meanwhile, EK Thistle skipper Adam Edgar has been hailed by his gaffer after racking up a century of appearances for the club.
The midfielder made his 100th outing for the Showpark side in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Knightswood
And boss Mark Steele said: “Adam is a boy you can hang your hat on. He is a great leader and he has led this team admirably with his performances and how he has conducted himself.
“Adam has courted attention from teams higher up the pyramid in my whole time at EK Thistle. We have received offers for him and he has been very loyal to us, and continues to be so.
“He’s integral to the club.”