Win helps Steel’s EK reach the heights
In-form side triumph on the road
East Kilbride Rugby Club’s title hopes received a boost on Saturday as victory at Cumnock sent them joint-top of the table.
Allan Steel’s side triumphed 34-27 to record their fourth win in five games and that puts them level on points with Greenock Wanderers at the West Region One summit.
A narrow 19-18 defeat at home to Allan Glens on September 15 is the only blemish on their record so far this season and EK now travel to second bottom Dalziel this weekend, bidding to maintain their fine form.
Dalziel were relegated from the National League last season and their slump has continued into this campaign. They host their Lanarkshire rivals off the back of just one win from their opening four matches, so Steel’s men will fancy their chances.
Kick-off at Dalziel Park on Saturday is 3pm.
Cumnock ............... 27 East Kilbride .......... 34
East Kilbride came away with the maximum haul from their trip to the East Ayrshire coalfields and draw level on points with Greenock at the top of West Division One.
But the Torrance House men did not have it all their own way and their fourth win of the season was achieved despite a patchy performance on Saturday.
Player/coach Alan Steel made a couple of changes following last weekend’s comfortable win at Annan.
Ben McLean replaced Matthew Fletcher in the second row while one returning holidaymaker, Aidan Stott, replaced an outgoing tourist, Mark Ellison, at scrum-half.
Lewis Brown moved inside to a more familiar slot of centre to accommodate a first start of the season for Ross Stewart while Roddy Beaton returned from his four-week suspension at full-back.
There was a first involvement in the senior side for the other half of Mrs Brown’s twinset, when Matthew took his seat on the pine.
Cumnock’s ground is undergoing something of a refurbishment at the moment and, as a consequence, this contest was switched to the school field.
In keeping with the tradition of school sports fields the world over, Cumnock Academy’s has a huge slope and is as open to the elements as any patch of northern tundra.
The home side opted to take the ‘good’ end to open and had two unanswered tries on the board after half an hour.
East Kilbride were not playing badly but equally were not looking too bright.
Cumnock had a couple of big units up front and were happy to trundle them down the hill every so often and put a dent in the East Kilbride defence.
A McLean try just before the halftime port and oranges came out left the away side happy enough with their 40 minutes work.
The early knockings of the second period saw East Kilbride on top.
Lewis Brown went over, Robbie Greenfield followed shortly after and, with Beaton’s boot keeping the scoreboard ticking, East Kilbride were able to put some daylight between the sides.
Chris McLellan added to his brace of tries last week with another to secure the bonus point before a sublime backs move straight off the training paddock saw Gregor Haggerty go over in the corner.
The fact the handling and running in the lead up to the young Monty barman’s score was so out of keeping with play across the remainder of the day made it all the more eye-catching.
Cumnock picked up a well-deserved final try of their own to achieve doublebonus for four tries and the close-loser award, with the game’s last play.
All in all, a satisfying day at the office for East Kilbride who face Lanarkshire rivals Dalziel this Saturday (kick-off 3pm). TEAM: 1. McLellan, 2. Anderson, 3. Beaton, 4. McLean, 5. Rosie, 6. Irvine, 7. O’Neill, 8. Steel, 9. Stott, 10. Murray, 11. Haggerty, 12. Greenfield, 13. L Brown, 14. Stewart, 15. R Beaton. Replacements: Blackwood, Middleton, Dalgleish and M Brown.