Cup delight for cricketers
Part two of our sports review of 2016
July to December 2016 provided many moments to remember with football highs and lows, to youngsters excelling on the track and in the pool. Here’s the best bits.
JULY
• East Kilbride Cricket Club were celebrating after winning the Rowan Cup for only the second time in their history. They beat Ferguslie by seven wickets to lift the prestigious T-20 trophy. •Allan Cairns, one of East Kilbride
Thistle FC’s founding fathers, announced his retirement from the club after nearly 50 years of service. He was also the club’s official photographer and announced he would be hanging up his camera. • East Kilbride FC kicked-off their
Lowland League campaign with a 3-0 win over Whitehill Welfare.
AUGUST
• Lindsayfield athlete Aidan Gilbride announced he had secured a four-year athletics scholarship in the US after being head-hunted by European middle-distance bronze medallist Chris O’Hare. Franklin Pierce University in New Hampshire would be Gilbride’s destination. • Darts star Ross Montgomery won his
first darts titles in nearly two years. The Greenhills ace won the Belgium Open and the H&S Masters Invitational in Holland to secure memorable wins. • Kenny Gallagher won the East
Kilbride Golf Club Championship for the sixth time.
SEPTEMBER
• East Kilbride FC claimed a crucial win in the Lowland League as they beat early season title favourites East Stirling 1-0 at K-Park to make it seven wins out of seven in the league. • Alan McNamee made it a hat-trick of men’s singles titles at the EK Tennis Club Championships. The 18-year-old beat Luke Quigley in straight sets. • East Kilbride Pirates’ youth team won the British under-17 championships at the Youth BritBowl in Sheffield. They beat Cobham Cougars 37-6 in the final.
OCTOBER
• A superb start to the season from East Kilbride Rugby Club saw Fraser Watt’s men take their unbeaten run to nine games by the end of the month, recording seven wins and two draws to top West Division One. • The News revealed East Kilbride FC were on course to match the world record for the most consecutive wins, 26 games, held by Ajax’s legendary Johan Cruyff inspired side of 1971/72. • East Kilbride FC caused huge Scottish Cup upset, beating Cowdenbeath 1-0 at Central Park with 10-men. Joao Victoria scored early one before EK won the match, despite Kieran Gibbons’ red card after an hour.
NOVEMBER
• Stewartfield footballer Carla Boyce helped Glasgow City clinch 10-ina-row. The women’s football team became the first side in Scottish football to achieve such a feat. •Strathaven wheelchair curler Aileen Neilson skipped her team to victory at the World ‘B’ Championships to secure Team GB’s place at the 2018 Winter Paralympics. • Calderwood cycling enthusiast Rachael Halifax won the BBC Unsung Hero Award for her volunteer work with three cycling groups in Glasgow. She also received an invite to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards.
DECEMBER
• East Kilbride FC crashed out of the Scottish Cup in cruel fashion. Kilby lost 2-1 to Stranraer, conceding a lastgasp own goal from David Proctor. A trip to Aberdeen in round four was the reward for Stranraer. • EK Thistle recorded their best performance in the Junior Cup for 10 years when they beat Culter 3-1 in a third round replay, setting up a glamour tie with Super Premier side Glenafton in the next round. • Skye Mullholland won four titles at the EK Amateur Swimming Club championships. In the 11-12 years age group she won the 100m butterfly, backstroke and freestyle in new championship record times. She also added the 100m breaststroke title to her impressive haul.
Alan McNamee made it a hat-trick of singles titles at the EK Tennis Club championships