EK’sshotat gloryendsin anightmare for Woods
Adam Strachan, Russell McLean and Joao Victoria all converted for Kilby, but Woods saw his kick saved by Cowden keeper Jamie Sneddon in the third round of kicks and that proved the difference.
Gutted Kilby gaffer Martin Lauchlan said: “We are bitterly disappointed. It’s a lottery when you go to penalties.
“We started the game poorly, but once we got into the second half we got a foothold in the game.
“We played some terrific stuff and got back in the game. I thought once we got the goal we were in the ascendancy and I thought this is it, this is our time. “We had a chance at the end of extra-time with Woodsy when you thought this is it, it’s written in the stars but it gets blocked. “For him to then go and miss a penalty is so disappointing. “It’s a full season we’ve worked for this. To get to this point and it to come down to a lottery is so disappointing. “The boys have been brilliant and I’m gutted for them because they wanted this so much. “I’m not going to criticise anyone for missing a penalty. Better EK missed promotion despite going undefeated in all four of their play-off matches. Only penalties separated them from Cowden after 0-0 and 1-1 draws, while they drew 2-2 and won 2-1 against Buckie players than Woodsy have missed one.
“They are a great set of players. They’ve showed today they are more than capable of playing at this level. There’s not much difference.
“That’s three times we’ve played Cowden including our Scottish Cup win and they’ve only scored once against us.
“Looking back on it, we’ve been left to rue missed chances in the first leg.
“We will dust ourselves down and move on. But it’s going to be a long summer, that’s for sure.”
It remains to be seen how much of the squad will remain at K-Park.
Kieran Gibbons, Adam Strachan and Craig Howie, among others, will have attracted attention this season and one fears it could be a rebuilding job over the next two months. Football can be a cruel game and no one will be able to tell you that better than East Kilbride’s Paul Woods.
With three minutes to go in extra-time, the Kilby midfielder looked like he would sink Cowdenbeath with a late winner but he took an extra touch in the box and his shot was blocked.
He was so close to being the hometown hero.
Fast forward a few minutes and it would be his kick in the penalty shootout that decided the outcome of this SPFL playoff final.
With the rain pouring down and the pressure heaped upon him after being forced to replace the ball by referee Craig Charletson, Woods’ weak spotkick was saved by Beath keeper Jamie Sneddon.
It handed the hosts the advantage and when Liam Henderson beat Kilby keeper Matt McGinley to convert Cowden’s fifth penalty the Lowland champions’ fate was sealed.
Heartbreaking. Gutwrenching. Devastating.
A cruel of end to such a successful season, Woods was incosolable.
He said: “I’m absolutely devastated.
“I feel as though I’ve let everybody down, I’ve let the club down and people who have put so much effort into this.
“We got so close, but with a kick of the ball that’s it done.
“The guys have done everything and put so much into it. We’ve won the league comfortably and it just comes down to those four play-off games.
“We were the better team over the two legs and for it to come down to that is horrible.
“People keep telling me that’s football, but it doesn’t make it any easier.
“We deserved so much more.”
The St Leonards man arrived late in the season determined to bring SPFL football to the town and scored a crucial goal in the first leg of the semi-final against Buckie Thistle to get Kilby this far.
But Woods won’t be there next season to make amends after it was announced on Monday that he has signed for League One Stranraer.
Another campaign in the Lowland League will not appeal to plenty others and it remains to be seen how much of this squad will go again next season...
We are bitterly disappointed. It’s a lottery when you go to penalties.