Hero Fisher passed up fourth try to avoid bigger bar bill, says Brown
The drinks were on hat-trick hero George Fisher after Saturday’s win at Kilmarnock sent East Kilbride into the second round of the National Shield.
But head coach Craig Brown revealed Fisher escaped having to cough up for a bottle of vodka for the team – after passing up the chance of a fourth try in the 55-26 win in Ayrshire.
Fisher’s treble, plus two from Evan Martin and solitary scores from Lucas Aitken, Grant Dryburgh and Harry Taggart did the damage, amid three conversions and a penalty from Fisher and a trio of conversions from Rory Blackwood.
But Brown – whose side lost in the Shield final last season to Stewartry at Murrayfield – says Taggart’s try came courtesy of 21-year-old Fisher being reluctant to dip into his pockets a little deeper at the bar post match.
He explained:“I was pleased for Harry. Everyone loves a front-row try but he was completely gifted it by George - who gave it to him a metre out with no chasers.
“I think he was just trying to save himself from having to buy a bottle of vodka.
“If you score three tries, you’ve got to buy a jug of beer but if you get four you need to get a bottle of vodka, so I think we know what he was up to there.
“But I am really happy with the performance and it is great to see happy players.
“All the tries, bar Harry’s, were all by backs, so they all came from running and creating space on the outside, which is the style of rugby we are trying to play at East Kilbride, so that was really pleasing for the coaches.”
The win atoned for a league defeat to Kilmarnock a fortnight ago and East Kilbride have been rewarded with a home tie against West Region One rivals Lenzie in their next match on February 17.
Brown, whose side have a three-week break due to the Six Nations internationals, said:“It just shows that when the guys are motivated and when they are focused on what they have to do as a team, instead of individuals, we can really take teams apart.
“It was 40-7 at half-time so we put a lot past them in the first half.