EAST KILBRIDE CELEBRATE LOWLAND LEAGUE TITLE WIN BUT BOSS KNOWS JOB IS ONLY HALF DONE

East Kilbride were finally crowned Lowland League champions on Saturday but boss Mick Kennedy knows the job is only half done.

Kilby’s 1-0 victory over Berwick Rangers was enough to see Kennedy’s men lift the trophy after a fortnight of postponements delayed the inevitable and delivered the club’s first crown since their 2019 success under Stuart Malcolm.

EK have led the way for much of the season and their 24th win in 31 matches saw them clinch the title with three games to spare.

However, to gain promotion from the fifth tier to the SPFL EK must now negotiate a pair of two-legged pyramid play-offs to reach League Two next season.

And Kennedy says nobody will be getting carried away after the weekend took them halfway to their ultimate aim.

He said: “Winning the league was dragging on a wee bit so we are just happy to get it done and dusted.

“When I first came to the club, I was always confident we could win the league title for the first time in five years so it is good to do that - and good to get it done after waiting a few weeks.

“It has been fantastic so far but we know the challenge is to get promoted into League Two and that is the focus.

“Winning the league is fantastic and there are only a handful of people in the changing room who have done that before, so it is great for them as individuals.

“But from the club’s perspective and my own perspective, the challenge is to get the club to League Two so that is what we are looking to do now.”

First up for EK will be a pyramid play-off against the winners of the Highland League on April 27 and May 4.

The champions of the north have yet to be determined as Brechin, Buckie Thistle and Fraserburgh are going down to the wire in the bid for the Highland League crown.

Whoever wins that clash will then face the bottom side in League Two - currently Clyde - for a place in the SPFL next season, with those games played on May 11 and 18.

EK have a hectic schedule before that with a clash away to Albion Rovers tonight followed by a visit to Civil Service Strollers on Thursday and a trip to Tranent on Saturday.

Kennedy added: “We will rotate the players over the next few days.

“I am not placing too much importance on the next few league games, but obviously we want to go and win them.

“It will give boys who haven’t been playing the opportunity to get minutes and give them a chance to stake a claim for the play-offs.

“There will be a lot of changes, just because there are three games in such close proximity as well. We need to utilise the squad to make sure whoever plays in the first play-off game next week goes in there fresh.

“We will get a look at the Highland teams over the next few days.

“It is really tight up there, anything could happen, so it is hard to call who will come out on top in that league, but we will be ready.”

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2024-04-16T06:57:20Z dg43tfdfdgfd