EK82 book their place in cup final
Showdown against rivals Glasgow
East Kilbride Handball Club have reached their second Scottish Cup final in three years – and now they have revenge on their minds.
EK82 produced an outstanding performance to beat Cumbernauld outfit Tryst77 44-22, extending their unbeaten run to 16 matches.
And that has set up a final with rivals Glasgow HC, who defeated EK82 in the 2016 final, after they squeezed past Edinburgh in the other semi-final, winning 33-29.
EK82 coach Andy Crawford said: “The boys played well and they now have the chance to bring some major silverware to the club for the first time in many years. Playing Glasgow in the final will give us a chance for a bit of revenge after they beat us the last time we reached that stage.”
EK’s 44-22 victory did not flatter them as they dominated much of the match at the Oriam arena in Edinburgh.
They were on the front foot from the outset and raced into a six goal lead within 10 minutes.
The defence worked hard, the goalkeepers were solid and the team broke fast into attack to hurt the Cumbernauld team at every opportunity, earning EK a 22-7 lead at the half-time interval.
The second half served up more punishment for Tryst with the game running away from them and EK taking advantage of every mistake.
East Kilbride’s top scorers were Chris Mowat, Jack Lees and Greg Hughes, while in defence Nico Bond, Benjy Muir and Andy Wallace were outstanding.
Goalkeepers Andy Docherty and Colin Reid made some great saves during the contest and started many fast break attacks. EK will be looking for more of the same when they head back to the Oriam for the final.
The match will be held on Saturday, February 24 and a throw-off time has yet to be announced. Fans should keep an eye on the EK82 Handball Club Facebook page for details, but admission to the Oriam will be free.
• EK Handball Club have teams and training times for boys and girls of all age groups.
If you are interested in joining, contact club manager Michael Lavery on 07898221984 or e-mail michael. ek82handball@gmail.com for further information.