Match ends, East Kilbride 2, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 0.
East Kilbride 2-0 Lothian Thistle HV
By Kenny Crawford
BBC Sport Scotland at K Park
- From the section Football
Lowland League side East Kilbride set up a home Scottish Cup meeting with Celtic with victory over Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale.
Jack Smith's stunning half-volley settled Kilby just before half-time, although the visitors had earlier hit the crossbar through Willis Hare.
East Kilbride goalkeeper Matt McGinley denied Hare after the break with a great diving save.
And Sean Winter sealed a money-spinning fifth-round tie from close range.
Listen: Only formed in 2010...and now Celtic in the cup
Whether that match versus Celtic will be allowed to be played at the 500-or-so-capacity K Park remains to be seen, but the result has well and truly put East Kilbride on the map.
BBC Scotland will provide live television, online and radio coverage of the tie on 7 February and the revenue generated will have a significant impact on the club founded in 2010.
The hosts had failed to profit from their early dominance as Anthony Brady's mazy run left him one defender short of being clean through and Craig Hastings dragged a low shot wide of the far post.
Lothian Thistle HV from the East of Scotland League took Kilby's profligacy as encouragement. The hosts' goalkeeper Matt McGinley had to be sharp to deny Hare before the same striker struck the crossbar from 16 yards.
An injury to midfielder Ross Smith had East Kilbride rattled for a short spell but they got the crucial first goal shortly before the interval.
The visitors' stand-in keeper Byron Gibb had previously made a couple of decent saves, but had no chance when Smith lashed in from the edge of the box following a blundered defensive clearance.
Scott Gormley missed a half-chance for Lothian Thistle HV early in the second half and it did not take long for Kilby's Brady to cause more problems with his dribbling.
Smith had the opportunity to double his tally but fired wide of the near post.
In the meantime, East Kilbride captain Barry Russell chose to try and change his boots and ended up playing the majority of the second half with one black and one green one.
Hare continued to be Lothian Thistle HV's main threat and McGinley pulled off a brilliant low save to turn the striker's shot round the post.
And the home team could afford to start thinking about their meeting with the Scottish champions in earnest when the seasoned Winter demonstrated his predatory instinct to poke the ball home following an 86th-minute corner.
Line-ups
East Kilbride
- 1McGinley
- 2Gebbie
- 4Stevenson
- 5Russell
- 3Coll
- 6Winter
- 8McBride
- 10SmithSubstituted forJohnstoneat 25'minutes
- 11Brady
- 9Smith
- 7HastingsSubstituted forGormleyat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 12Johnstone
- 14Lachlan
- 15Morris
- 16Templeton
- 17Macdonald
- 18Gormley
- 21Kean
Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
- 1Gibb
- 2Moore
- 5Joint
- 6MearnsBooked at 64mins
- 3MacKenzie
- 7SmithBooked at 19minsSubstituted forFoxat 74'minutes
- 4CrawfordBooked at 69mins
- 8KerrSubstituted forMoffatat 61'minutes
- 11HareSubstituted forO'Donnellat 77'minutes
- 9Brown
- 10Gormley
Substitutes
- 12O'Donnell
- 14Shala
- 15Moffat
- 16Fox
- 17Mungall
- 18Hendry
- 20Ogilvie
- Referee:
- Nick Walsh
- Attendance:
- 696
Match Stats
Home TeamEast KilbrideAway TeamLothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
- Possession
- Home55%
- Away45%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away2
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away1
- Corners
- Home10
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home3
- Away7
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, East Kilbride 2, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 0.
Goal!
Goal! East Kilbride 2, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 0. Sean Winter (East Kilbride) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal following a corner.
Corner, East Kilbride. Conceded by Mathew Joint.
Corner, East Kilbride. Conceded by Mathew Joint.
Anthony Brady (East Kilbride) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Scott Gormley (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale).
Barry Russell (East Kilbride) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Scott Moffat (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale).
Substitution
Substitution, East Kilbride. Liam Gormley replaces Craig Hastings.
Substitution
Substitution, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Liam O'Donnell replaces Willis Hare.
Substitution
Substitution, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Ryan Fox replaces Darren Smith.
Corner, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Conceded by Matthew McGinley.
Attempt saved. Willis Hare (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Booking
Paul Crawford (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Anthony Brady (East Kilbride) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Paul Crawford (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale).
Corner, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Conceded by Bernard Coll.
Booking
Eddie Mearns (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Anthony Brady (East Kilbride) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Eddie Mearns (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale).
Corner, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Conceded by Barry Russell.
Substitution
Substitution, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale. Scott Moffat replaces John-Ross Kerr.
Attempt missed. Scott Stevenson (East Kilbride) header from the right side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the right following a corner.
Corner, East Kilbride. Conceded by Dylan Moore.
Corner, East Kilbride. Conceded by Paul Crawford.
Attempt missed. Scott Gormley (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Corner, East Kilbride. Conceded by Scott-Taylor MacKenzie.
Second Half
Second Half begins East Kilbride 1, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 0.
Half Time
First Half ends, East Kilbride 1, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 0.
Foul by Anthony Brady (East Kilbride).
Kevin Brown (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Sean Winter (East Kilbride).
John-Ross Kerr (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Goal!
Goal! East Kilbride 1, Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 0. Jack Smith (East Kilbride) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner.
Foul by Anthony Brady (East Kilbride).
Eddie Mearns (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Corner, East Kilbride. Conceded by Scott-Taylor MacKenzie.
Attempt missed. Frazer Johnstone (East Kilbride) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high following a corner.
Corner, East Kilbride. Conceded by Eddie Mearns.