Mick Kennedy & Si Ferry in dreamland as play-off win sparks wild pitch invasion as East Kilbride plot rise through SPFL
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MICK KENNEDY insists East Kilbride are going to have a massive party before they even start plotting a rapid rise through the SPFL.
Ambitious Kilby finally made it out of the Lowland League at the fourth attempt after seeing off Bonnyrigg in the goal-less battle in Midlothian.
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East Kilbride pitch invasion after play-off final win
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They'll be in the SPFL next season
The damage was done in the pyramid final first leg with Kennedy's side travelling to the outskirts of Edinburgh with a 3-1 lead.
And just 12 months after they blew the chance to earn promotion in a devastating extra-time loss to Stranraer, Kennedy was thrilled his players finally made history.
He said: 'I don't think there is a ceiling at the club to be fair.
"I think the aspiration for the club needs to be that it'll probably have a five-year target to try and get to the Championship.
'I think that's what we need to set ourselves, we need some kind of target, some kind of plan.
'We need something to put in front of us and it's down to myself and the club to work towards that.
'But before that there'll be a massive party
'It's been a long journey for the club. The owners have invested a lot of money and they've worked hard to get to this position, it felt like it was never going to come.
'So I'm sure there'll be a party at East Kilbride.'
A dry, bumpy surface at New Dundas Park meant this game was always going to be a battle and that's the way it worked out.
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Kilby ditched the silky football and rolled up the sleeves to match Bonnyrigg's aggression.
Rose keeper Paddy Martin kept his side in the game in the first half with two stunning saves to keep out Joao Balde and Reagan Mimnuagh drives.
Jamie Hamilton had the ball in the net after the break but his effort was ruled out for offside.
The sound of referee Euan Anderson's full-time whistle sparked a pitch invasion from the travelling fans as Kilby finally realised their dream of making it into the fourth tier.
How they rated
Bonnyrigg: Martin 7, Mailer 5 (Lennon 55, 4), Martynuik 6, Young 6, Murphy 6 (Porteous 67, 4), Arnott 6, McGachie 6, Currie 6, Somerville 5 (Ferrie 77, 3), Ross, 6 Connolly 6
Subs not used: McNeil, Leslie, Laing, Barnes
Booked: Young, Somervillie, Arnott
East Kilbride: Truesdale 6, Hamilton 6, Fagan 6, Leitch 6, Flanagan 6, Balde 6, Elliott 6, Robertson 7, Mimnaugh 6, McGregor 6, Spence 6
Subs not used: Connelly, D Ferguson, S Ferguson, McKinley, Livingstone, Craik, McShane
Booked: Spence, Flanagan
Referee: Euan Anderson 7
Attendance 2,170
Rose boss Jonny Stewart, who inherited a team in March that had been hit with a six-point penalty due to the slope on the pitch, said: 'I can't fault their effort and I can't fault their effort since I came in.
'The boys have been brilliant, they've given me absolutely everything.
'We've just felt a little bit short over the two legs and credit to East Kilbride, they were a good side.
'We would have finished eighth if it was not for the points deduction but we can't use that as an excuse.'
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