Jags gaffer Paterson eyes a birthday bonus
Win over St Roch’s would help boss mark 40th in style
Alan Paterson hopes East Kilbride Thistle can return to winning ways on Saturday to kick-off his 40th birthday celebrations in style.
The Jags gaffer will take his side to St Roch’s this weekend - weather permitting - and he is determined to make sure The Candy Rock don’t spoil the party.
Paterson, whose side have lost four games on the spin, said: “It’s my 40th birthday party on Saturday night, so we better win.
“Most of the boys in the team will be going along as well, so we want to make sure we can really enjoy the night.
“We’ll all be heading to the Westwood Bar, but there would be nothing worse than going there if we’ve lost, so I hope the boys can help me mark my 40th with a win.
“It’s been a tough few weeks with some bad results, the weather postponing games and a bad injury to David McKean last month [a broken kneecap], so it would be good to have something to smile about.
“Two or three wins in this league can propel us right back up the table.”
Thistle, currently 11th in Central District First and six games behind most of the league, travel to St Roch’s hoping to avenge last month’s 2-1 defeat at K-Park.
Paterson’s side finished the game with eight men after losing their discipline and he said: “I really believe if we’d kept 11 players on the park, we’d have got something from the game.
“We felt hard done by with some of the decisions, but this is a chance for them to show what they are capable of.
“I was quite impressed by St Roch’s last time. They’ve got a good level of youth and experience. Paul Tierney is an EK boy doing well there and they’ve got Kieran Daw, who used to play for EKFC, as well, so they are a good side.
“It’s quite a heavy pitch at St Roch’s, so we won’t be able to get the ball down and play football like we did at K-Park.
“We’ve got to be prepared to battle for the win, but keep our discipline as well.”
Thistle’s Central League Cup clash with Clydebank at the Showpark on Saturday was postponed due to snow and the Jags are hoping to play their first match since February 10.
Paterson added: “We’ve not had any training all week due to the weather, all we could manage was a spin class to keep us ticking over.
“But the boys are chomping at the bit to play a game now.”
Kick-off at James McGrory Park on Saturday is scheduled for 2pm. East Kilbride boss Billy Stark insists his side will arrange a friendly for this weekend as they face up to a second Saturday on the sidelines.
The Lowland League leaders were due a free Saturday before the Beast from the East swept in and cancelled all of the weekend fixtures. Kilby had been hoping to travel to Whitehill Welfare in the league this coming weekend, but the heavy snow forced Welfare’s South Challenge Cup match with Vale of Leithen to be postponed on Saturday and that has now replaced the scheduled league fixture.
It leaves Kilby without a league game until March 17, when they travel to Civil Service Strollers, so Stark is keen to get his players game-time this week.
He said:“We will be arranging a game for K-Park to keep us going.
“We’ll be training on Thursday night and with a game on Saturday we’ll be right back in the groove for our next league game.”