EK failed to turn up last week, at home to GHK. And for the first 14 minutes at Bladnoch, in Newton Stewart, it looked as if a repeat performance might be delivered. Newton Stewart started strongly, playing against the wind. And quickly ran up a 8-0 lead.

EK looked sluggish, stunned by the traditional strong start by the farmers, and lost the first two scrums and most of the possession. From a line out, the home backs ran straight through the EK defence for an unconverted try in the eighth minute. Score: 5-0.

One of the NS backs was overheard admitting to one of their supporters that the ball was dropped and not grounded properly as they crossed the line but, with hindsight, we can overlook this!

EK then tried to run a kick out of their 22 instead of kicking for position, surrendered possession and then a penalty next to the posts after a NS surge and the home team were 8-0 ahead.

EK were struggling to secure and retain possession but in the 14th minute, assistant coach Grubby Blackwood took the ball on the burst, it was recycled out to centre Ian Brown who ran through and then round the defence from 35 metres. Shankie’s conversion helped ease the nerves of the large EK travelling support. Score: 8-7.

While EK started to play with more confidence, their overall game was still too loose, with over ambitious attempts at passes and the EK forwards continuing to try to take on their opposite numbers in an arm wrestle, instead of transferring the ball quickly to their sprightly backs. Individual forwards were working well but we needed a bit more cohesion.

Scott Shankie kicked a penalty in the 33rd minute to make it 8-10. Two minutes later Ian Brown scored his second try, after good play by Sparky Ellison and Fraser Little. Brown still had to blast some 30 metres to claim his try. Shankie kicked an excellent conversion to make it 8-17 at half time.

EK had weathered the early NS storm, mainly through the hard graft of skipper Gareth Jones who time and again drove the visitors forward, turning scrappy ball in to decent possession and delivering some thumping tackles. But there was still no reason for complacency – EK needed more regular possession.

Whatever coach Steel said to the EK forwards at half time, it worked. They initially rode their luck to defy some intense NS forward drives near their line immediately after the restart, with Jones at the helm, and then started building attacks in the Newton Stewart half.
Encouragingly, there were signs of the EK spirit of old.

This was rewarded in the 53rd minute when Scott Shankie, playing at centre for the recently departed Grant Seymour (don’t panic – Seymour is still alive, he is now in the USA) wriggled over, through and under some Newton Stewart tackles to claim a vital score beside the posts, which he calmly converted. Score: 8-24.

EK were playing with more confidence, dominating territory and possession but it was still a significant physical challenge, with some testy exchanges in the forwards.

The EK backs also showed grit, particularly winger Ross Stewart (9 stones or thereabouts, dripping wet). He twice found himself one on one facing a burly NS forward on the charge; and both times he brought his man to the ground. Great stuff - character building!!

The second half seemed to be drifting to a conclusion with EK unable to deliver the quality required to conjure up the fourth try for a bonus point, with coach Steel encouraging his charges to “focus”.

Cue late relief: from a midfield scrum near the NS 22 metre line, Ian Brown managed to crash over for a try under the posts. Hat-trick hero again! Shankie’s conversion made it 8-31 and the EK support celebrated.

This was a fantastic result, particularly after last week’s disappointment. It was a real physical challenge and all the EK forwards deserve credit for sticking in and ultimately dominating.

For the first time in many years, EK had two bus loads of supporters at an away match. Credit to Vice President Peter Hagerty for rounding up Academy supporters to cheer EK on, and also to the Academy managers for agreeing to pay for the bus. It’s just a pity that more of the Academy did not take advantage of the opportunity. They missed a gripping, tense match.

Man of the Match: lots of good performances – Scott Shankie ran and kicked his points well; Chris Mclellan linked well and scrummaged hard; and Ian Brown ran and tackled hard to claim his three tries. All the forwards supported each other once they woke up and everyone tackled strongly after the first quarter. But there is only one real candidate for the award: Gareth Jones maintained last week’s sterling performance with a blinder. A richly deserved award. Well done Gareth.

This victory lifts EK back to the top of the league (with 60 points after 16 matches), albeit we have played one more match than Irvine, and are three points ahead of them.

Next week third placed team GHK (53 points after 15 matches) play second placed Irvine (57 points after 15 matches) at GHK. Both teams need to win to maintain their promotion challenge. But Kilmarnock (38 points after 13 matches) are still potential promotion candidates, depending on how their and other results go. I leave you to look at the league table and consider the permutations!

EK’s next fixture: EK have a chance to lick their wounds as their next, and penultimate, league match is not until 12 April when they are away to Kilmarnock, 3pm kickoff. EK’s final league match at Torrance House on 19 April is also against Kilmarnock. We need the biggest and loudest support we can muster for both matches.

Team: 15 Fraser Little [sponsored by Scobie Junior]; 14 Mark Ellison [sponsored by DM Autos]; 13 Ian Brown [sponsored by Gas Services Direct]; 12 Scott Shankie [sponsored by DIY Garage]; 11 Ross Stewart; 10; 9 Calum Blackwood [sponsored by Tintos Bar]; 8 Gareth Jones, Captain [sponsored by Espresso Addesso]; 7 Chris O’Neill [sponsored by Lime Delicatessen]; 6 Graeme Blackwood [sponsored by ICA Architects Ltd]; 5 Craig Ferguson Junior [sponsored by Hi Lite Electrical]; 4 Ally Dalgleish [sponsored by sponsored by Alpha Better Cleaning Ltd]; 3 Chris Mclellan [sponsored by Herbalife Nutrition Glasgow]; 2 Rian Anderson [sponsored by Rian Anderson Lineout Tuition Ltd]; 1 Scott Aitken [sponsored by DIY Garage]. Replacements: Andy MacDonald [sponsored by Warnock Plant]; John Watson [sponsored by Age Concern]; Alex Irvine [sponsored by Glow at 10]; Scott Carroll.