EK players ‘had eye on final’ in league defeat
EAST KILBRIDE .................................. 19 CUMNOCK .......................................... 43
East Kilbride coach Craig Brown says his side were running on empty and participating in the game rather than leading it, as they lost 43-19 at home to Cumnock in Tennent’s West League 1.
Brown admits they had an eye on their National Shield final on May 6, but a lengthy season has simply taken its toll.
And while preserving players’ fitness will be key in this weekend’s finale at Lenzie, Brown wants a win to end the season, which would take them above Annan into sixth place.
He said: “I think we got ourselves caught up participating in the game rather than leading it.
“We wanted to dictate the game on our terms, play to our game, our strengths, and we ended up watching them, more often than not.
“We had moments where we broke out of that, and you could see what we were trying to do, but other times we sat back and let them come at us.
“We did have a lot of personnel changes over the weekend and at this part of the season there are guys who are just tired.
“There are guys who haven’t missed a game but have picked up injuries, and I had to rest a good few players because with the final coming up in a couple of weeks, everybody wants to be healthy for it.
“We had to bite the bullet, and say those guys who were carrying injuries are not playing, and gave others a chance.”
Brown says it is natural for his players to be casting an eye towards Murrayfield, but says it’s a fine line for their final clash of the season this weekend.
He said: “The final definitely had an effect on the players.
“The last two games of the season aren’t going to change our position in the table – it’s not like we’re top of the league or fighting for a promotion spot or anything like that, and we’re not fighting to stay in the division.
“No doubt the guys were thinking ‘do I really want to put my heart and soul into this game’, because the possibilities are there of them picking up an injury.
“Guys are all thinking about trying to compete for a position and a shirt for the final, and we have rested a lot of guys who haven’t been able to shake niggling injuries, but we need them 100 per cent for the game against Stewartry.
“For this weekend as well there will be ups and downs, one eye on the game and the other looking at the Shield final.
“They’ve got to play for their shirt, but at the same time we don’t want them to pick up an injury – I understand both sides.
“But we know Lenzie will give us a good game and I would like to beat them.”
Kick-off on Saturday at Viewfield is 3pm