October 12th 2025 was a big day for EKRFC. At a sponsors' lunch, held before the game, over £800 was raised and donated to our charity partners, "Loaves and Fishes" and "Healthy and Active", the days match was against local rivals, Strathaven and it was East Kilbride (EK) full back, Rory Blackwood's birthday.

In the corresponding fixture last season, in similar weather and ground conditions (early morning rain gave us a heavy pitch with showers during the game) Strathaven played the conditions to come out on top. Was history about to repeat itself?

Strathaven kicked off and attacked the EK line, but the home defence kept them at bay. Although the visitors were the early attackers it was EK that opened the scoring 8 minutes into the contest. Evan Martin gathered from inside his own half and used his speed and no short measure of skill to touch down in the left corner. Rory Blackwood's boot added the two points that gave EK an early lead. Strathaven fought back and levelled the scores some 9 minutes later with a converted try. When the EK kick off failed to travel 10 metres the visitors were given another attacking opportunity and when EK conceded a penalty, that also saw Roddy Beaton yellow carded, the Strathaven kicker successfully converted to nudge them into a three point lead. Down to 14 men for 10 minutes EK defended bravely and with no further scoring the half finished EK 7, Strathaven 10.

When Strathaven failed to claim Rory Blackwood's kick off at the start of the second half and the ball skidded into touch EK moved immediately into a strong position with our guests having the throw in to a line out inside their own 22. EK were awarded two penalties in short succession and chose to kick for touch on both occasions. Unfortunately the ball was lost at the second line out giving Strathaven an opportunity to kick themselves out of trouble. The game see-sawed between the teams for a while until the deadlock was broken with an Owen Selfridge try, scored just as the game entered its final quarter, that was unconverted. At this point in the game EK were defending a slender, 2 point lead, made more difficult when Lewis Brown was yellow carded following an altercation with a Strathaven player. At this stage in the game the EK scrum, though lighter on a man for man for man basis, was taking control of the set piece with Alistair Marriott having a major impact as his opposite number could not cope with the Alistair's superior technique and conceded a number of penalties. As the game continued to swing from end to end of the field Evan Martin snuffed out what could have been a try scoring break with a crunching tackle on his opposite number. A 50-22 from Rory Blackwood's boot gave EK a line out inside the Strathaven 22. With the ball back in their hands EK continued to pummel the Strathaven line and were rewarded when Ross McKeown crossed for a try duly converted by Rory Blackwood. With time running out and Lewis Brown back on the field the EK team was defending a 9 point lead and this they did until referee, Ed Crick, ended the game with a long blast on his whistle.

This win provided EK with 4 league points and edged them into 5th place in the Arnold Clark West League Division 1. Conditions dictated that this would not be a feast of open, running rugby but both teams are to be congratulated for keeping the ball alive when the ball was wet and slippery and cold hands made things a little difficult. For EK the most disappointing aspect was the line-out where the Strathaven jumper at two managed to cut off the EK throw too often. There is, perhaps, a need for those who may back up Chris (Thunders) McLellan when he is unavailable, as was the case on Saturday, to spend some time practising their throwing in. In open play all scrummagers performed well with Juan Hodgkinson and Ben Walters taking the ball to the opposition and asking questions of them. It is in these phases that support play is absolutely vital to ensure that the ball is recycled quickly, that penalties for holding are not conceded and that the opposition is caught on the back foot. This really comes down to forwards being fit and eager! The contribution of Alistair Marriott in the set piece has already been mentioned and his technique proved invaluable in the closing stages of the game as scrum penalties gained helped EK to turn defence into attack as full time approached. For this, and his all round performance on the day our ball sponsor, Allan Steel of Steel Groundworks, had no hesitation in naming him as the EKRFC Player of the Match.

Next Saturday EK travel across the city to play Lenzie (KO 3 p.m.). Lenzie's season has started well. With only one game lost to date, against 3rd placed Oban Lorne, they sit second in the table, so EK will have to be at their best to pop the Lenzie balloon! Let's get along and support the team as they take to the field to continue their league campaign.