East Kilbride boss Mick Kennedy admits last year’s Christmas humbling at the hands of Albion Rovers will serve as a warning ahead of this season’s double-header.
Kilby welcome Sandy Clark’s side to K-Park on Saturday, hoping there will be no festive hangovers in their bid to keep their stranglehold on top spot in the Lowland League.
Rovers ran out surprise 3-1 winners at K-Park on Boxing Day 2023 so Kennedy, whose side are two points clear of Celtic B with two games in hand, says his league leaders aren’t taking anything for granted against the seventh-place side, who they also face at Cliftonhill on January 4.
He said: “Rovers turned us over at home last Christmas so we need to make sure we are on it.
“They have started to hit a wee bit of form recently and haven’t lost many games so I’m sure, coming to East Kilbride, that will give them that extra incentive.
“I’m sure they will make it a difficult occasion for us and nobody will be underestimating them.
“We hope we can get more points on the board and extend that gap, which will help us get that bit closer to the finish line.”
Kilby go into the clash off the back of needing extra-time to see off Pollok at Newlandsfield in the South Challenge Cup last 16 on Saturday.
Kennedy’s side came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw over 90 minutes and then had Jordan McGregor sent off in the first half of extra-time. But Cami Elliott completed his hat-trick in the additional period to earn the win.
Kennedy added: “The park was in terrible condition and made it really difficult for both teams.
“It was really cut up before we even stepped foot on it so it made the occasion a bit more difficult than it needed to be.
“Pollok had a couple of goals chopped off for offside, but I think we deserved to win the game, over the piece.
“We went down to 10 men but still controlled large parts of the game without creating loads of opportunities.
“We did what we always do when we go down to 10 men. We stayed in an attacking formation and just went 4-3-2 because there is no point in getting pinned in.
“I’m delighted for the boys to get through in those conditions.
“It can be a difficult day for a striker, playing up front on a day like that, playing off a lot of scrappy second balls because there is no flow to the game, but Cami was excellent.”
Boss wants a new striker
Mick Kennedy admits he is keen to strengthen his Lowland League leaders even further with the East Kilbride boss eyeing a new striker in the new year.
Kilby lead the way in the fifth tier and are comfortably the league’s top scorers with 76 goals scored in 19 games so far.
But Kennedy is determined to bring in more firepower to make sure they defend their title.
He said: “We are looking at getting another striker in but there is nothing really imminent.
“We might wait until January and see how the SPFL squads settle down and go for it then, unless something comes up unexpectedly.”