Goal hero Louis says cup group stages are a true test
Longridge relishing early competitive action
East Kilbride ................. 1 Hamilton ...................... 3
Andy Mcgilvray
Louis Longridge has given the Betfred Cup group stages the thumbs up after bagging a crucial goal in Saturday’s 3-1 Group G win over East Kilbride.
The winger says that although many feel the League Cup group stages start too early, he’s just delighted to be back playing competitive football, and to be scoring.
Longridge popped up to glance a Grant Gillespie cross past Matt Mcginley in 81 minutes, 14 minutes after EK’S Sean Winter had levelled with a penalty, and Accies then went on to add a third through Ali Crawford, providing a finishing touch to the win at K-park.
Longridge said: “I think if Rakish Bingham had scored the second then it would have put the game to bed, but we missed that great opportunity, they ran up the park, got the penalty and the game was 1-1.
“There was all to play for then, but I thought we were the more dominant team and I knew that whoever scored the next goal would go on to win the game, so I’m just glad that it was myself who popped up with the header, got the second goal, and we’ve gone on to comfortably see the game out.
“You want to get off the mark early on, so to do it in the first game was very pleasing for myself, and it’s just a case of working hard, keeping the head down and trying to add to the tally.
“It was a hard game; they sat in and tried to counter-attack, and at times we weren’t as sharp on the ball, and sloppy play allowed them to get chances.