Pezzolano on Irankunda sub: 'He didn't look fresh'

Irankunda reacted furiously to being hooked on 35 minutes, punching a chair in the dugout and throwing a water bottle on the ground before storming down the tunnel.

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Both Pezzolano and Mattie Pollock said Irankunda had calmed down by the end of the game.

The head coach said: "He [Irankunda] didn't seem fresh.

"He wasn't able to recover after an effort and we didn't want to take any chances with any risk of injury or anything like that. We are playing a lot of games one next to each other.

"He's a young player and he has been living a different situation.

"He's been scoring goals and putting in some really good performances, many things going so well all of a sudden. This might be good for him."

Pollock revealed he had chatted with Irankunda and that the situation was under control.

He said: "I've spoken to him in there and he's totally fine.

"He understands that that's football. We have a lot of trust in the gaffer, so if he makes a decision we all trust it.

"I'll probably be taken off early in games - maybe I should have been tonight!

"Rocco [Vata] has come on and done unbelievably, so that's on the manager.

"Nestory is fine."

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