Pirates junior team tame Lions
May 16th, 2018
East Kilbride Pirates 38 – Birmingham Lions 12
Having finished as National runners-up in both 2016 and 2017, this year’s Junior Pirates set out on their bid to go one step further in 2018. Their opening fixture was against the much-fancied Birmingham Lions, a team likely to be among those contesting the Northern Conference title. Despite this being a Pirates “Home” fixture, the game was played on a mutually agreed neutral venue in Sheffield.
The game started in the best possible way, with Callum Ferguson returning the opening kick off 89 yards for the TD. Even though the 2-point conversion pass attempt falling incomplete, this left EK with an early 6-0 lead. Surprisingly there was no further scoring in the first period, despite the Pirates being well in control.
On the first play of the second period, a Sam Montgomerie pass was intercepted near the Birmingham goal line. This allowed the EK Defense to get in on the act, as Ben Gallacher and Max Corbett corralled the Lions’ RB in the endzone for a 2-point Safety. Jack Cochrane returned the ensuing kick-off to the Birmingham 10-yard line, and from there QB Montgomerie ran in the second TD of the day. He also completed a 2PAT pass to Scott McKigen to put EK up 16-0. The next Pirates’ drive brought more points. A 6-yard pass from Montgomerie to McKigen added 6 with a further 2 from a pass to Struan Bailey. The last play of the half saw Montgomerie connect with Fraser McDonald who ran the ball home for an 87-yard score. The extra points were tagged on by a Montgomerie to Ben Braidwood connection, leaving EK 32-0 ahead at the interval.
Birmingham repeated the Pirates feat of returning the kick-off, scoring on an 80-yard run, although the conversion attempt was unsuccessful. There was no further scoring in an uneventful 3rd Quarter, then early in the final period, it was the Lions who again added points. A good punt return combined with a penalty on the Pirates saw Birmingham start inside EK’s 10-yard line. It was Abayomi Olajide who crossed the plane on a 3rd-&-goal from the 1. Lewis Smith sacked the QB on the 2PAT attempt to hold the score at 32-12 in EK’s favour. The Pirate’s response was immediate and a 5-play drive was capped with an 11-yard TD pass from Montgomerie to Bailey. Cochrane’s attempt to run in the extra points was stopped short, leaving the final score at 38-12.
Due to the vagaries of Junior scheduling, the next game is not until June 10, when EKP travel north to take on the Highland Wildcats.
Report by Bill Campbell
Share this article