EK staying put in West division one despite win
East Kilbride ....... 10 Kilmarnock ........... 7
Richard Beaton
East Kilbride Rugby Club’s final home game of the 2016/17 league campaign passed in subdued fashion, despite a welcome victory.
Results elsewhere confirmed that East Kilbride will ply their trade in West One again next season while promotion remains to be decided between Carrick and, more likely, Newton Stewart.
In truth, East Kilbride had little to play for as it was unlikely that either of the teams above them could completely blow their remaining chances and this knowledge contributed to an underwhelming performance.
Kilmarnock were seldom in East Kilbride’s half and this was illustrated by the fact their only try was an interception from deep in their own territory.
The home side had all of the possession but could do little with it. It may be argued that the referee should have penalised Kilmarnock for the various underhand methods deployed to negate East Kilbride’s forward dominance but when a pack is this superior they should be able to punish the opposition without official assistance.
Scrummaging was strong throughout and the line-out imperious but possession was wasted repeatedly and a Callum Aitken try was scant reward for sweat expended.
Saturday was a disappointment to players, coaches and spectators alike.
These feelings stemmed less from the performance on the day and more to a definite sense that the season presented a missed opportunity to progress.
At the risk of seeming overly parochial it is no great stretch to suggest that East Kilbride had the strongest squad in the league and performances through the first third of the season were outstanding.
From early October, though, standards dropped massively.
Results were ground out for a few weeks but eventually opponents worked out how to negate the massive advantage East Kilbride held up front.
On the plus side, coach Fraser Watt has been able to give significant game time to talented youngsters such as Aidan Stott, James McKinnon, Lewis McFie and Jordan Green but ultimately this will not go down as a season to remember.
East Kilbride will complete their league campaign on Saturday, February 18 when they travel to champions-elect Newton Stewart.
But before that the Torrance House side are in cup action this weekend.
On Saturday they travel to Cumnock in round one of the BT West Regional Shield, kick-off 1.30pm. This match was postponed in November due to a waterlogged pitch.
The winners of the clash will host Carrick in the quarter-finals on February 11.
TEAM: 1. McLellan, 2. Anderson, 3. E. Beaton, 4. S. Ferguson, 5. Dalgleish, 6. Irvine, 7. R. Beaton, 8. Rosie, 9. Murray, 10. Stott, 11. McFie, 12. Dixon, 13. McKinnon, 14. Green, 15. Greenfield.
Replacements: O’Neil, Haggerty and Aitken.