JADED STAR WELL BEATEN

After earning some deserved plaudits for their display at Bonnyrigg on Saturday despite losing the match, there was little to be positive about after this defeat to a highly motivated East Kilbride.
Kilby went into this match on the back of a shock home defeat to Edinburgh University and straight from the first whistle they looked like a team determined to make amends. Star on the other hand performed well away to the league leaders in their previous match but never got going in this one as the gruelling schedule seems to be catching up on the players. However they can’t go around feeling sorry for themselves as they have another away trip, this time to Broomhill on Saturday before a two week gap before our biggest match of the season when in form Rothes travel to Islecroft in the Scottish Cup. Hopefully that spell will give those carrying injuries to be properly rested and come out with all guns blazing on 23rd October. However the trip to Alloa comes first and if the players can secure the three points in a more than winnable match, then that will keep a nice little gap between ourselves and the gang of clubs closing in behind us in the league.
Under the lights at K Park the home side began brightly and took the lead in the 13th minute. A mistake at the back from Star allowed Daniel McManus to cross to Joao Victoria who fired high past Darren Martin in the Star goal. Despite rarely threatening as an attacking force in the opening period it looked like Star would go into the break just the one goal down and with the chance to re-group. However in the last seconds of the half they were caught on the break when Steven Old cleared a Star free kick to Billy Owens and his pass put Victoria through on goal. The striker ran on for 20 yards before shooting low past the advancing Martin to give the visitors a huge mountain to climb.
The second half did see an improvement from the Islecroft side with Lewis Todd seeing his effort blocked for a corner just after the hour. Before that Old saw his looping header cleared off the line but Star knew if they could score next then it could produce a grandstand finish. The closest they came to finding the back of the net was ten minutes from time when Dylan Cairnie’s fine free kick produced a good save from home keeper Conor Brennan and Star’s chances slowly slipped away. To rub salt into the wounds the home side rounded off the scoring in stoppage time when substitute James Finlay scored with a superbly struck half volley that flew past Martin into the top corner of the net.
So a disappointing night from a Dalbeattie perspective but the players must dust themselves down and go all out for the victory this weekend away to Broomhill. Overall they have performed brilliantly this season and will want to halt this losing run before it gets the chance to overshadow all the good work they have done up until now. When questions have been asked of this group this season, more often than not they have come up with the right answers and hopefully that will again be the case at the Indodrill Stadium.

EAST KILBRIDE 3 DALBEATTIE STAR 0
Victoria (13, 45)
Finlay (90+2) HT 2-0
EAST KILBRIDE: Brennan, Elliot, Wylde, Stevenson, Old, Millar (Blair 46), McManus, Owens, Victoria (Finlay 60), Erskine (Miller82), McLaughlin
Subs not used: McDonald, McAninch, Stewart, Kean
Yellow Cards: None
DALBEATTIE STAR: Martin, Brotherston, Park, Todd, Dickinson, Phillips, McMahon, Graham (Cowie 70), Currie (Degnan 60), Sloan (Potts 89), Cairnie
Subs not used: Emmerson, Muir, Smith
Yellow Cards: None