Skipper praises boss’s late switch
Two strikers took game to Blue Brazil
He decided to go with two up front and that really paid off
Barry Russell revealed a lastminute change of heart from boss Martin Lauchlan paved the way for East Kilbride’s victory over Cowdenbeath.
The Kilby skipper was immense in the second half as 10-man East Kilbride thwarted wave after wave of attacks from the Blue Brazil to cling on to Joao Victoria’s early goal and progress to round three.
However, the 27-year-old reckons his manager’s late change of plan to go with two strikers was the pivotal moment on Saturday as Kilby claimed their 25th consecutive victory under Lauchlan.
Russell told the News: “The gaffer just eats, sleeps and drinks football and he said he’d changed his formation about 10 times before the game.
“He changed it one last time on the morning of the match when he decided to go with two up front and that really paid off because, instead of sitting in, we took the game to Cowdenbeath and got the early goal.
“We didn’t come here to sit in and let them play. The gaffer did his research on them and they had two big strong boys up front, but I thought Craig Howie and Dom McLaren were magnificent against them and we got the gameplan right.
“People think we are just a wee Lowland team but we are not, we’re a very good side.
“You can tell that by how many games we’ve won in a row now and our league position.”
Cowdenbeath play a tier above Kilby in League Two but the former Stranraer and EK Thistle ace Russell added: “I’m not shocked at all by the result.
“The ability we have in the dressing room is great.
“Joao can play at a much higher level and I thought he was outstanding.
“Sean Winter and Adam Strachan should be playing senior football – and I don’t think the team will be too far away from that if we keep playing like this.”
East Kilbride are now just one win away from matching Ajax’s world record of 26 straight victories in the 1970s.
Lauchlan appeared on national radio station Talksport with Jim White before the Cowdenbeath tie to discuss the club’s incredible exploits.
Kilby haven’t lost a game since March and Russell said: “People were trying to talk about the record beforehand and put pressure on us but we’ve never really thought about it.
“It was great to hear the gaffer on Talksport, it gets our name out there again, but after beating Cowdenbeath I hope everyone knows about EK.”
The draw for round three took place as the News went to press on Tuesday.