RUGBY: WATT'S FURY AS WINNING RUN ENDS
Warning signals ahead of top of the table clash
East Kilbride surrendered their 100 per cent record on Saturday with a draw at Kilmarnock.
Not for the first time this season, Allan Glens a fortnight back particularly springing to mind, East Kilbride were second best throughout this contest.
And, despite scoring two tries to nil with Green and Jordan going over, they can consider themselves fortunate to head back up the A77 still unbeaten.
Coach Fraser Watt continued with his commendable plan to rotate the squad and keep everyone fresh.
Players, and many spectators, may not like it but Watt is clearly cognizant of the fact that it is an arduous season and is playing the long game.
On Saturday though it looked like his master plan was about to blow up in his face as a stuttering performance kept handing the initiative to the hosts.
Despite EK being on top at the set piece they failed to dominate elsewhere up front, playing without the dynamism and energy which has marked the season’s best displays.
While none of the pack played poorly as individuals they certainly did not gel as a unit.
With the strike runners Aitken and Rosie failing to make ground there were few rallying points for the others to follow.
It was a similar story in the backs. Grant McGibbon’s ring-rusty performance at scrum-half was attributable to his first start of the season and it was only the politeness of stand-off James McKinnon which prevented him delivering both barrels to the wayward Techie teacher.
Outside of McGibbon, nobody played badly and the return of Michael Dixon certainly helped, but there was a definite lack of fluidity among the backs.
This result has been building as performances have gone slowly downhill since the outstanding win at Carrick.
It is to be hoped that it will act as a gee-up in advance of Saturday’s contest with fellow unbeaten side Newton Stewart, but this message has been circulating for the past few weeks.
Suffice to say that if East Kilbride play as poorly then it will be the Galloway lads holding the only unbeaten record in the division come Saturday teatime.
Kick-off at Torrance House is scheduled for 3pm.
TEAM: 1. McLellan, 2. Aitken, 3. E. Beaton, 4. Dalgleish, 5. Rosie (captain), 6. McLaren, 7. O’Neil, 8. Shankie, 9. McGibbon, 10. McKinnon, 11. Green, 12. Dixon, 13. Greenfield, 14. Hughes, 15. Ellison.
Replacements: R. Beaton, Watt, C. Ferguson Snr and Haggerty.
• Last week East Kilbride Rugby Club posed for their official club photograph for 2016/17, showcasing the strength of numbers at Torrance House from their primary one squad all the way through to their first team.
Performances have gone downhill since outstanding win at Carrick