It was a happy start to the New Year for Stewartry who toasted success with a five pointer in what was their first home league match since October.
Covid and break time cobwebs were swept aside against East Kilbride, a bit of a bogey side who arrived having been unbeaten in twenty four of thirty three meetings of the clubs since 1971.
Third placed Stewartry came out of the traps flying from the kick off taking the game into the EK half but the visitors were soon into the Blacks 22 winning a penalty which was kicked with ease putting them three points ahead after only four minutes.
The Blacks hit back right away with Wilson and Milligan winning a lineout in the visitors’ half. Porteous took possession giving Nicholson the chance to send Austin in for the opening try in the corner.
Captain Picken stepped up but the kick slipped past the posts making it 5-3 after eleven minutes.
Both teams were playing some excellent open flowing rugby and twelve minutes later Stewartry won a loose ball on halfway with
TJ McCarney putting Armstrong in for a second try but again the kick was missed, 10-3.
It all turned Stewartry’s way with a third try one minute later, Ty Wilson stretching his legs to score out on the right after McCarney had jinked his way past four defenders to deliver the perfect pass. The extra points were again missed, 15-3.
By that point Stewartry were exuding confidence, holding their own in the scrum against a heavier pack with the backs creating scoring chances from some fast passing moves.
It all led to the bonus point fourth try Austin scoring his second right on half time. John Picken added the points and Stewartry led 22-3 at half time.
The big crowd was hoping for more in the second half and within four minutes McCarney and Picken broke clear to give Scott Milligan his scoring chance in the corner for the fifth try, 27-3.
If Stewartry thought the game was won EK hit back with a penalty to the corner, winning the lineout and driving over for a try and conversion to give them a boost, 27-10.
East Kilbride began to dictate the lineouts and scrums turning pressure into scoring chances and in seventy one minutes they were rewarded with another pushover try, 27-15
Stewartry made a number of changes in the last nine minutes to freshen the pack and were rewarded with a third hat trick try for centre Austin, the sixth for Stewartry and a 32-15 victory.
Stewartry Squad all used: J Picken (c), T Wilson, R Austin, T J McCarney, S Milligan, D Armstrong, A Nicholson, M McCulloch, K McGuire,
I Mcmorran, D Maxwell, H Carson, R Porteous, G Hamblin, C Root, J Forsyth, T McLean, D Steele, A Coupland.
