Champs Kilby act like pros
MailSport: Martin Lauchlan insists behaving like a pro club helped his Lowland League champs take a step closer to the senior ranks.
Joao Victoria’s hat-trick, a Paul Woods brace and Craig Howie’s strike wrapped up Kilby’s title with a 6-1 win at Gala, who hit a consolation through Darren Smith.
EK raced into a 4- 0 lead at half-time before scoring twice after the break to book a place in the League Two play- offs. And Lauchlan insists a bit of R&R at plush hotel in Peebles on the eve of the game helped his side prepare for their stunning start in the Borders.
He said: “We blew Gala away. The tempo, desire and intensity we showed they just couldn’t live with.
“And that’s because we prepared like a pro outfit. We stayed at the Macdonald Cardrona last night and the players all had a swim and a get-together.”
Kilby became the first team in Scotland to lift a League title, beating Celtic who ca n cl inch the Premiership today.
And Lauchlan added: “Getting over the line before Celtic, a team who have been so successful this season, is a fantastic thing to say.
“It really shows just how good a season we’ve had.
“But to win the club’s first ever title after only a year in charge is special, the biggest achievement of my career.
“I don’t want to talk about the play-offs yet. This is the first league championship in East Kilbride’s history, we want to enjoy this first.
“We’ve blew the league away and no team touched us. The play- offs will take care of themselves and we’ll be ready for them.”
Runners-up East Stirling relegated Preston Athletic with a 7-1 drubbing at the Pennypit.