Let’s hope the good weather was responsible for some of the disorientation. While there were some encouraging aspects, there is still a good deal of room for improvement.

With half a team away up North playing tens, EK fielded a mixed side. A very young pack, combined with what must be rather close to what may well be their 1st XV backs. It was very much two teams striving towards the new season, rather than being ready for it now. The game was played in four quarters.

EK struck first, through a try by vice-captain Ally Dalgleish. Greenfield got the extra points. 7-0. Greenfield followed this up with his own try, again converted. 14-0.

Possibly the funniest moment of the day was EK’s winger Cowie being injured when he ran out of space on the wing and ran in to a spectator, EK’s Anne Aitken. Anne was sent flying but mysteriously, it was David Cowie who sustained an injury, very ironic as Mr Aitken is in the process of becoming EK’s first aid “bag” man.

EK’s scrum improved with a rare and welcome appearance of the svelt like Ally Donaldson, who made a number of good contributions. Jason Currie put in a big hit that saw his opponent taken off injured. The second quarter produced nothing of note.

EK’s target in the third quarter was to take the game to Strathaven, run straight and keep it simple. A good plan, but one that EK proved incapable of executing. They did however score a try, another for Dalgeish (21-0), through a forward charge.

EK had hoped they might have had a bit more time against Strathaven, compared to last week's Premier opponents. However, the EK backs did not gel or play as a unit, and any good things came generally from individual play.

Overall, there was a lack of composure and good decision making when in possession. We also need to work on our tactical kicking. Let’s hope this will all come together as the season rolls forward.

The young Strathaven backs looked a more cohesive unit, all aware of what they were trying to do. They put together a number of flowing moves as the game wore on. Poor EK midfield tacking allowed them to notch their first try (21-5). They were then denied another for a narrow forward pass, and a further score when Nathan Ross covered back well, on his own.

While EK forwards were by this point looking a bit ragged, turning the ball over regularly, they did respond with a good line out win and forward drive that saw youngster Calum Hastie in his first senior outing for EK notch his first try. Calum can be happy with his contribution.

The home side had the final say with a try in the right corner, which was well deserved for the way they hung in the match. At the end, it appeared that Strathaven looked more interested than EK.

Admittedly, many of EK’s personnel changes did not help cohesion, but importantly it did give a number of players who are in need (of a much higher level) of fitness an opportunity to remind their body what it feels like to play rugby. The scary bit is that some of them only played for 20-40 minutes. Very soon, they will need to survive 80 minutes.

Next week, EK wind up their pre-season preparations against Premier 3 Whitecraigs. Let’s hope they raise their game, as they did at Biggar last week.