Huge test for Kilby
Holmes realistic about chances against St Mirren
East Kilbride midfielder Graeme Holmes admits it will be a huge ask to pulloff a Betfred Cup shock against St Mirren.
Jim Goodwin’s Premiership side will travel to K-Park this Saturday for the Group H clash following Kilby’s defeat to Albion Rovers.
The 35-year-old conceded that it could be a huge ask to get points on the board against the Buddies, Dunfermline or Edinburgh City following defeat to their Coatbridge visitors.
“It’s going to be very difficult to go into the next couple of games and get something,” he told the News.
“To be fair to Rovers, they have definitely improved from last year under Kevin Harper.
“He did an excellent job to keep them up and they’ve recruited well with a small budget.
“If we are looking at it now, the other teams in the group will be saying the two weakest teams in the group are East Kilbride and Albion Rovers.
“It’s going to be difficult, and going forward, the games we have this week will be a different type of game.
“We might not dictate the play against St Mirren like we did at points against Albion Rovers.”
Holmes admits it was a disappointing start to the competitive season after defeat to League Two Rovers for the Lowland League champions.
He says the players don’t think of it as pre-season and are taking the early season clashes seriously as they gear up for a crowded title fight with the likes of Kelty Hearts, BSC Glasgow, East Stirling and Spartans.
“We played the better football in the first half against Albion Rovers,” said the former Cliftonhill man.
“We were on the edge of creating that scoring chance, but we probably didn’t do enough in the final third. In the second half we gave them too many chances and they’ll feel aggrieved to not score more goals.
“If you don’t create chances and take them you don’t deserve anything from the game.”
He went on: “We played decent enough without creating anything. I can understand why it would be thought of as pre-season, but you don’t really feel that when you’re playing. You want to go out there and win.
“By the end of the game I was blowing, and Albion Rovers did seem pretty fit.
“I think that showed in the final half-an-hour with the way they were creating chances.
“But we’re not going in to these games to get fit, we’re trying to win.”
And ahead of the match against Goodwin’s Premiership outfit, Kilby have moved to strengthen their squad.
That has seen them secure the signature of former Rangers, Elgin, Annan and Falkirk player Ryan Sinammon (pictured below playing for Rangers).
A youth internationalist – playing from the under-16s through to under-19s level – the talented midfielder brings an array of qualities to the squad.
He has been joined by Ryan Weir who recently played with Bannockburn.
An attacking-midfielder, Weir has impressed in pre-season at K-Park and comes with high expectations.