Johnstone Burgh boss Jamie McKim admits he told his players some “home truths” after Saturday’s disappointing defeat at Rutherglen Glencairn.

A first half goal from Jay McKay was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for the hosts at the Hamish B. Allan stadium and deliver a blow to Burgh’s hopes of promotion.

The Keanie Park club remain in fifth place in the West of Scotland Football League First Division and are seven points off the promotion spots.

With the likes of St Cadoc’s and Kilbirnie Ladeside also dropping points on Saturday, McKim sees the defeat at Rutherglen as a missed opportunity for his team.

He told Gazette Sport: “It was really poor on Saturday. It’s the worst I have seen us for quite a period of time. I think we were fortunate it was only 1-0.

“I could have seen it coming with the week we had leading up to it. The preparation wasn’t great, the levels at training and different bits and bobs were concerning me and it led into Saturday.

“The standards and the application at our session on Thursday night was abysmal. We had a bounce game against Greenock on the Tuesday night and were 4-0 up at half-time but, within 20 minutes of the second half, it was 4-4 and I think that tells you where some of the players are at.

“We should have had enough to go there on Saturday and win that game comfortably but the reality is we didn’t.

“There were a few home truths after the game and will be again this week at training.”

McKim has challenged his players to think about their own performance against Rutherglen and how they can improve.

He said: “From one to eleven and the subs that came on, there’s not one pass mark in my eyes.

“I’ll always put my hands up if I could have picked a better team or made better substitutes or tweaked things but, on Saturday, the frustration comes from players not following instructions.”

Burgh make the trip to Cumbernauld United this Saturday and McKim knows his players will need to up their game if they are to get a positive result.

He added: “It’ll be hard to come away with anything if we go in similar to Saturday.”

Kick-off at Guy’s Meadow is scheduled for 2pm.