On-form Kilby hit students for four

EAST KILBRIDE ..................................... 4 STIRLING UNIVERSITY ....................... 0

East Kilbride ran out 4-0 winners at K-Park against Stirling University as the students exited the Scottish Cup.

The visitors faced a difficult task away to the side that defeated them heavily only two weeks ago at Forthbank - and they could not get the better of them on cup duty on Saturday.

The scoring began after 23 minutes through Daniel McManus with a deflected effort to see his side 1-0 up going into half-time.

However, the rout began in the second half, as the fixture fatigue may have taken a hold over the battling students near the end of the tie.

Ryan Blair scored an impressive long range effort, followed by a late-in-theday brace by substitute Jack Stainrod who settled the tie during the dying embers of the match.

University head coach Chris Geddes said:“It was a poor one to lose and disappointing to concede three in the second half when we played a bit better and actually caused them some issues.

“We lost a sloppy goal through a deflection and they were obviously the better side in the first half but to lose a goal like that was a bit disappointing for us.

“East Kilbride had a few bits of quality in the second half, we made a few mistakes and our finishing wasn’t good enough today.”

The students were set up in the first half to frustrate the home side by setting up with three central defenders in Lavery, Taylor and Hutchison and more or less accomplished this as East Kilbride struggled for clear cut chances albeit while controlling the possession.

However Daniel McManus threw a spanner in the works for Stirling as industrious forward Joao Victoria drove forward and passed it into McManus’path on the right and he unleashed a shot which took a eflection past Ben Fry into the net.

After the sides emerged from the half time break, East Kilbride started to hit their stride and doubled their advantage through Blair. A lofted ball was brought down by the midfielder and he volleyed an impressive effort on the edge of the box.

The hosts began to turn the screw and there were efforts by Erskine, Old and McManus before substitute Jack Stainrod finished off the students with a late double.

Jamie Stevenson fired a speculative effort from 25 yards which Fry parried into the path of Stainrtod who bundled it into the net, and he also added a fourth when Elliot dribbled half the pitch before passing to Stainrod to complete the scoring.

The students are back in action today (Wednesday) against Northumbria University in the BUCS at 3.15pm.

Stirling University: Fry, Lavery, Hutchison, Taylor, Downie, Doan, Berry, Davidson, Burrows, Penker, Stokes.