The runners up spot and second play-off place in BAFACL Division 2 came down to a straight shootout between these teams at Lochinch on 29 July.
The Tigers started strongly and led 13-3 at half time, before a tense second half, with defences dominating. The Blackhawks were the ones to make breakthrough and they managed to score the last two touchdowns. This made the final score 17-13 in their favour and they now have a play-off game in Sheffield to look forward to.
This was the final regular season game for both teams, played in mixed weather at Hamilton Rugby Club on the 28th July. The Pirates, who went into the game knowing a win would secure the Premier League North Division, built up a 14-7 lead by half time and stretched it to 26-7 by the end.
The Pirates have now secured a bye for the first round of the play-offs. Their next game will be a semi-final at Hamilton RFC on 12th August, most likely against the reigning champions London Blitz.
Photo Gallery – EK Pirates v Yorkshire Rams
THE BEAUTIFUL GAMES – Scotland’s Hidden Sports
by Henry Hepburn
In this newly published book, the author declares that there is an unhealthy culture is Scottish sport as it is dominated by football, specifically football played by men. This leaves other sports, and all women’s sport, unfairly ignored by the media and starved of funding and new players. Those who know me will be aware that I am entirely sympathetic with the Mr Hepburn’s point of view.
Football supporters dismiss other sports as irrelevant. Youngsters are encouraged into football ‘because you can earn a lot of money without a huge amount of talent’. Even sports journalists, with a few exceptions, have little knowledge of or interest in other sports, and so the football stranglehold continues.
Henry Hepburn is a journalist, and each chapter is a feature on an individual sport, describing its history, where it is now, and telling the stories of some of its heroes. The sports covered vary from the well known – rugby, cricket, tennis – to the less supported shinty, handball, American football, table tennis, netball – to the much more obscure roller derby and korfball. Women’s football gets a chapter as it’s considered to be a separate sport to the men’s game, with its own battle for recognition.
As I take an interest in a variety of sports I already knew some of the info the book provides. I know a bit about American football and EK Pirates quarterback Ryan Hunter. I knew who Ronald Ross is. I knew that table tennis is big in Drumchapel. As some of my cousins played, I even knew that Cumbernauld is a hotbed of handball, though I didn’t know why until now. Beyond that, there was an awful lot I didn’t know and I’m now much better informed.
The Beautiful Games is an interesting read, I recommend it to anyone interested in Scottish sport. It’s just a pity that not many of those one tract mind football followers will give it a look.
THE BEAUTIFUL GAMES – Scotland’s Hidden Sports is available from Lulu Enterprises as a paperback or an e-book. Click here
Doncaster were the visitors to EKP at Hamilton Rugby Club on the 22nd July for 
what would be the decisive game in American Football’s Premier League North.
Perhaps a reflection that this was the first Pirates game for 6 weeks, but the Mustangs, behind an effective passing game despite the windy conditions, built an early 14-0 lead. The Pirates fought back in the second quarter and fought back to 20-14 down at half time. The Pirates scored to level the game in the third quarter and then added the only touchdown of a tense final period to secure the win by 26-20.
The result means that East Kilbride will almost certainly win their division and host a championship semi-final at Hamilton next month.
Last year this fixture was a thriller with Scotland claiming the win with a late penalty. This year the English came to Falkirk with no intention of another lapse. While the first half was close with England coming out 10-4 ahead, the English dominated after the break and won by 44-10.
Scotland’s amateur rugby side faced England Community Lions at Falkirk Rugby Club in the Four Nations competition on the 21st July. Scotland started well and scored the opening try. From then however, the English began to show their power, running in five tries by half time for a lead of 28-4. The Scots started to show form after the break and scored two tries before the English re-established their superiority with four more tries. The final score was 48-14 to England.
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