Pirates’ Likely Lads Extend Winning Run
June 3rd, 2019
East Kilbride Pirates 49 – Gateshead Senators 12
East Kilbride continued their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable home victory. The Club are starting to reap the benefits of their strong Youth and Junior programmes with several graduates contributing to the success on Sunday.
The tone was set on the first drive when the home side quickly got onto the scoreboard. Just nine plays into the game and Neil Baptie passed to Fraser McDonald for his inaugural TD. Greg Atkinson, who would be perfect on the day, duly added the extra point. EK’s second possession brought further scoring. This time it was running back Lee Chappell doing the damage, carrying the ball in from 6 yards for his first Senior touchdown. Gateshead’s response was quickly shut down and they punted as the quarter came to a close.
It was the turn of one of the old guard to get in on the act early in the second period. QB Sam Montgomerie passed to David Fallon who forced his way into the endzone for a 23-yard score. An exchange of punts followed before Gateshead worked their way into Pirates’ territory. They eventually had to settle for a 35-yard field goal attempt, but a low snap saw them lose ground and turn the ball over. Their disappointment was short lived however, as a breakdown in communication between Montgomerie and his receiver ended in an interception that Darren Mould returned untouched from 25 yards. The PAT attempt was blocked to hold the score at 21-6. Montgomerie quickly made up for the mistake, completing four consecutive passes, the last to Struan Bailey who scored from 15 yards. Atkinson’s PAT brought the half to a close at 28-6.
The third period started in scrappy fashion with three successive 3-and-outs before East Kilbride finally stretched their lead. An 8-play drive was completed with a short, 4-yard pass from Montgomerie to McDonald followed by the successful extra point. The Senators took possession as the game moved into the final quarter, but on 3rd-and-29, their pass attempt was picked off by Loudon Wheeler who returned it to the endzone. A fumble recovery by Matt Allison soon regained possession for the Pirates. With John Kohl now in at QB, he took just two plays to add to the scoring. A completed pass to Baptie was followed by a hand off to Atkinson who ran the ball in from 25 yards before converting his own TD. There only remained time for Gateshead to add a late consolation score with the last play of the game. Mould again getting the points, this time running in from 30 yards. The attempted 2PAT run was stopped short to conclude the scoring at 49-12.
The OnPoint Financial MVP award was presented to Lineman Steven Kane for his role at the heart of a dominant EK Defensive unit.
The Pirates next outing sees them travel to take on fellow undefeated side, Northumberland Vikings on Sunday 9th June.
Report by Bill Campbell
Photos courtesy Duncolm Photography
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