KRFC v EAST KILBRIDE 13-1-2024
Last Saturday in the first game of 2024 Kilmarnock hosted visitors East Kilbride in what proved to be a nerve tingling match with the hosts scoring in the last minute to win 30-28.
The visitors won a lineout from the kick-off and moved the ball wide and a looping pass by the centres was intercepted by Kilmarnock winger Chris Milligan who ran fifty-five metres to score a try below the posts. Craig McWhirter converted 7-0 to Kilmarnock with a minute played.
Play continued with no real scoring opportunities until the East Kilbride scrum half found touch deep in the home twenty-two. Three phases later the stand-off made a cross-field kick which was miss fielded and the right winger collected to score in the corner.
No conversion from the sideline score 7-5 after eighteen minutes.
East Kilbride attacked from the restart and Kilmarnock were under pressure and further hampered with Sam Diamond in his 150th appearance being red carded following head contact and the East Kilbride fellow flanker yellow carded. Twenty-one minutes played.
Kilmarnock moved from their own twenty-two with Niall Murphy creaming a lineout ball and the drive from the forwards was productive. A further two penalties and Kilmarnock won a lineout five metres from the opposition goal line and the catch and drive was rewarded with a try by prop forward Victor Murray. No conversion score 12-5. Minutes later East Kilbride had a player yellow carded for a deliberate knock on with the penalty attempt by Craig McWhirter wide of the mark.
The drop out twenty-two saw Ryan Andrews set up a backline attack, but a poor pass ended up in touch. Both sides were intent in running the ball and a fly-hack and chase by Robbie Colman ended with a second East Kilbride player shown a yellow card. Kilmarnock opted to kick to the corner.
The catch and drive were made but a knock on relieved the pressure. The visitors ran the ball but knocked on in the process and from a home scrum in the opposition twenty-two Kilmarnock attacked with East Kilbride straying offside. Craig McWhirter converted the penalty to end the first half. Kilmarnock ahead 15-5.
The sides turned around with Kilmarnock kicking off into the setting sun. The ball was fielded, and Niall Murphy was injured in a tackle and was soon replaced by Jonathan Goodlet.
From a scrum in their own half Craig McWhirter made a cross-field kick which found winger Kyle Bendall who knocked on into touch with only the full-back in defence. The Killie pack made a huge push to gain a penalty to move up-field. A dropped pass by Killie gave East Kilbride a scrum and they won a penalty as the scrum wheeled. A further penalty was conceded, and the visitors found themselves in the Killie twenty-two. The ball was moved twice along the backline ending with a penalty which was converted to narrow the scoreline 15-8 to Kilmarnock.
Chris Milligan was substituted by Fabio Cavaca for his first appearance in a Kilmarnock jersey.
From the grubber restart kick East Kilbride ran from their own half making seven passes as they ran through the Kilmarnock defence for a try with the conversion rebounding off the upright.
Kilmarnock 15-13 ahead.
The restart kick just crossed the ten-metre line and from the ruck East Kilbride repeated the backline move to race from their own half to score a second unconverted try in the space of three minutes. Kilmarnock adrift 18-15.
A third try in similar fashion was stopped thanks to a try saving tackle by Robbie Paxton winning a penalty in the process to ease the pressure.

From the lineout won by Ross Murray, Ryan Andrews fed McWhirter onto Cavaca for his first touch of the ball with Murray backing up passing to Frazer Corrance into the opposition twenty -two however play was taken back by referee Ed Crick for a penalty to Kilmarnock. Kilmarnock kicked to touch and from the lineout moved the ball and won another penalty. The kick at goal was declined and from their lineout the Kilmarnock forwards attacked, and captain Craig Shepperd went over for an unconverted try to restore the lead 20-18 in the twenty seventh minute of the half.
The lead was short lived as a poor pass from the restart backline move gave East Kilbride a lineout on the home ten metre line. The sides then kicked to and fro with a deadly bounce eluding Ryan Andrews allowing East Kilbride to score a converted try 25-20 to East Kilbride.
The restart saw East Kilbride in defence as Kilmarnock attacked and from picking up a loose ball winger Kyle Bendall kicked and chased to force a scrum five for the hosts. The scrum was won and moved out the blind side only for Kyle Bendall to drop the ball over the try line, meanwhile the referee pulled back the sides for a free kick to Kilmarnock. The tap was taken by Ryan Andrews who fed Victor Murray and from the ruck heavyweight prop Ewan Callaghan forced himself over for a try to level the scores.
Craig McWhirter’s midfield conversion kick went wide. 25-25 after thirty-six minutes.
Ewan Callaghan was replaced by Kieran Pattie with East Kilbride winning a lineout from the restart. The ball was won and East Kilbride make two attacks moving into the home half with Killie responding and winning a couple of penalties. It was a ding-dong battle with the visitors earning a penalty within kicking range. The kick was delayed for an injury to Morton Sinclair but eventually taken to edge East Kilbride 28-25 ahead with only a few minutes remaining.
The next Kilmarnock attack was from Frazer Corrance who fly hacked thro with the ball rebounding off the corner flag and into touch off an East Kilbride defender. Ross Murray took the ball but it was from a squint throw in. The visitors had a scrum and winger Chris Milligan joined the pack for a seven-man push.
East Kilbride opted to take on the Kilmarnock forwards whilst kicking for touch to end the game was ignored. Kilmarnock were awarded a penalty and kicked to the corner. Up rose Ross Murray to Jonathan Goodlet and the forwards piled in, the ruck ball was won and passed to Fabio Cavaca who broke through the initial defence to set up another ruck. Andrews low pass was picked up off his toes by Robbie Paxton and his pass was collected by fellow centre Robbie Colman who drew his man and passed to speeding winger Kyle Bendall who raced in from fifteen metres to score in the corner much to the delight of the home crowd and the exuberant players. The conversion was missed, and the full-time whistle blown.
Captain Craig Shepperd commandeered the postmortem huddle expressing his delight at the determination and discipline of the team. Coach Stuart Pratt eventually had his piece saying it was a massive, massive result and named Ross Murray his man of the Match.
This coming Saturday Kilmarnock travel to Oban weather permitting with a slightly depleted site and the next home game on Saturday 27th January is the first round of the National Shield when they will face East Kilbride. Kick-off 1.30pm.
The second XV will be in action at home versus Allen Glens on Saturday 27thJanuary Kick-off 2.00pm
Be there and support your local team. Bill Barnaby 07719-567-401.