BOWLS: RED DEER FINALS DAY WINNERS
EAST KILBRIDE ................................ 43 WIGTOWNSHIRE ............................... 8 RICHARD BEATON
The West Regional Shield semi-finals beckon for East Kilbride Rugby Club after they eased past Wigtownshire on Saturday.
Aidan Stott maintained his sensational scoring spree of late, racking up two tries to take his tally to 13 for the season and moving the Torrance House side to within two wins of silverware.
Wigtownshire operate one division below EK and the Stranraer side have struggled a little this season, losing five from six.
This statistic prompted East Kilbride head coach Allan Steel to rotate his squad at Torrance House.
Of particular note, the introduction of Ryan Mason to the starting fifteen alongside Ali Marriott saw the home side go with 18-year-old props for perhaps the first time in their history, while Matthew Smith got the nod at scrum-half in place of club captain Mark Ellison.
Mason and Marriot were certainly not found wanting at the set piece, with both scrum and line-out secure as EK dominated the forward exchanges.
Smith was a little harum-scarum in the first quarter but once he calmed down he controlled the game well and presented a challenge to the visitors defence with his running.
Behind a dominant pack, the backline took their chance to shift the ball and made good with a game plan that required they maintain width in their attacks.
With spaces developing, Aidan Stott was a real handful in midfield, scoring twice and also creating the gaps for others to exploit.
Both wingers, Ian Brown and Grant Dryburgh, crossed twice as well in a game EK never looked remotely like losing.
On the down side, there were a lot of handling errors and therefore far too many scrums for the spectators liking – unless said spectator was a retired front-row forward – but much of the blame for the ball going to deck can be attributed to conditions overhead and underfoot.
Overall, Steel had much to be pleased about. Younger guys got game time, the side played well for most of the contest and there were no great injury concerns arising.
The draw for the semi-finals, due to take place next month, will be made in due course, but EK will meet one of Cambuslang, Allan Glens or neighbours Strathaven.
EK are be back to league business this Saturday when they travel to Irvine.
The Ayrshire side have been something of a bogey in recent years, never more so than last season when a shock defeat at Marress did huge damage to the title challenge.
After the loss at Stewartry two weeks back, EK can ill-afford another slip if they want to keep the pressure on high-flying Allan Glens.
Kick-off on Saturday is 3pm. TEAM: 1. Marriott, 2. E. Beaton, 3. Mason, 4. McLean, 5. Rosie, 6. O’Neil, 7. R. Beaton, 8. Middleton, 9. Smith, 10. Henderson, 11. I. Brown, 12. Shankie, 13. Stott, 14. Dryburgh, 15. Murray.
Replacements: Mclellan, Irvine, Dalgleish and Ellison.