Scottish Football League Cup
Group F
Saturday 12th July 2025
Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59!
East Kilbride 1 St. Johnstone 3, attendance 620 (sold out)
7’ 1-0
52’ 1-1
60’ 1-2
81’ 1-3
@ K Park Training Academy
Calderglen Park Road
East Kilbride
G75 0QZ
£15 Admission, booked online
£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.
East Kilbride had won the Lowland League four times and finished second twice since 2017, but last season, following back to back championships, they defeated Bonnyrigg Rose in a two legged play off to finally reach the Scottish Football League. Today was their first game at their new level, where they were hosting Championship club St. Johnstone, who are two levels above them. Tickets became available on general sale earlier in the week and were easily booked online, once registering an account and the game was announced as a sell out a couple of days later. It’s hardly surprising though, as the ground only has a small capacity. It will certainly hinder them going much further up the pyramid in its current state. Spectators are limited to just two sides. The home fans occupy the seated stand that has just four rows of backless seats and runs not much more than half the pitch length, whilst the away supporters are behind the goal nearest the entrance, where there’s a four step kit stand, roughly the width of the 18 yard box. There’s plenty of parking available in a field off Calderglen Park Road, which is free, then you walk a couple of hundred yards through the woods down to the ground. Refreshments were available inside the ground, with prices you’d expect, now they’re in the league. The pitch is 3G, although there was never going to be any problem with water logging or frost today. It was absolutely roasting hot, but at least there was an occasional breeze blowing through the stand, which made it much more bearable.
John Robertson had the honour of getting East Kilbride’s first goal as a league club, scoring against one of his former clubs after just seven minutes, when he hit an unstoppable free kick from the angle of the 18 yard box into the top far corner of the net. Six minutes into the second half Gullan levelled the scores for the visitors, with a 20 yard free kick that went in off the underside of the crossbar. Eight minutes later Saints went in front, when Sidibeh intercepted the ball just inside the EK half and ran clear to beat the ‘keeper one on one. Ten minutes from the end they made the game safe, when the ball was given away on the edge of the box and a pass was squared for Kirk to finish with a first time shot.
Having completed level five of the Scottish football pyramid with last night’s game at Civil Service Strollers, today’s game once again re-completed the Scottish Football League, 30 years after a game at Forfar Athletic marked the first time I’d done it.
