CHAMPAGNE’S ON ICE:
Leaders fail to wrap up title after capital stalemate
East Kilbride have been made to wait for their Lowland League title party after stuffy Civil Service Strollers held the champions-elect to a shock draw.
It was a tale of three penalties in Edinburgh as Kilby were thwarted from beating Celtic to the crown of first Scottish side to wrap up a league title.
Sean Winter fired Kilby in front from the spot after 19 minutes but the match turned in the space of two second-half minutes when Winter had a second penalty saved and Strollers netted a spot-kick of their own through David Stewart to equalise.
It means Kilby now need a win at Gala Fairydean Rovers next week to put the title beyond doubt.
Kilby gaffer Martin Lauchlan is gutted his side’s celebrations have been put on hold – but reckons his players should have been clever enough to prevent the equaliser.
He said: “We are really disappointed. We had the penalty to make it game, set and match but we don’t score it.
“Then they go down the pitch and get a penalty themselves. There’s no doubt it was a penalty but I’m just disappointed we didn’t make the foul earlier when their player was on the halfway line.
“We need an experienced player to use their head there. Sometimes there is no harm in giving away a foul and we had two or three opportunities to bring the guy down and make a professional foul.
“You see it in the Premiership all the time, anyone gets advanced in the midfield you