HELENSBURGH climbed to the top of their Spring Cup group with a fine 3-1 win over second division East Kilbride YM at Hermitage Academy on Saturday.

Goals from Caleb Phipps, Brooks Tadlock and Karl Johansson mean that the Burgh will qualify for the tournament’s semi-finals if they can shrug off late-season injuries and suspensions and avoid defeat in their final group game.

The home side started strongly and from the kick off put pressure on the visitors defence with Tadlock and Sinclair coming close with shots at goal.

The midfield trio dominated the early part of the game and the East Kilbride team found it difficult to get a foothold, but Burgh’s season-long failing of not finishing off chances allowed YM to gain some confidence and for the middle part of the game the visitors started to gain more possession, with only a smart save by O’Brien in goal keeping the scores level.

Just as YM thought they were in the ascendency, though, Helensburgh struck with the opening goal.

Park found Tadlock in space and the striker rolled the ball into the path of Phipps who thrashed the ball low past the keeper.

And with their tails up it didn’t take long for the hosts to increase their lead, Phipps starting the move on the right before finding Johansson, who picked out Sinclair on the left – and the flying winger’s low cross was knocked home by Tadlock for the striker’s 22nd of the season.

Full of confidence now, Sinclair almost made it three before the break with audacious piece of skill, controlling a high cross-field ball and flicking it past his opponent in one movement only to drag his shot wide of the post.

The visitors put more pressure on Helensburgh’s defence in the second half, and Cameron and Johns at the back had to be at their best to keep the YM front line at bay.

But as the visitors pushed forward, they left gaps at the back, with Burgh only denied more goals by two offside rulings from the referee.

A YM free kick hit the inside of the post and rebounded to safety, and Helensburgh made the most of that let-off when Jeffries’ cross from the right found Jones, who laid it off for Johansson to stroke home the third.

The visitors pulled one back with a late free-kick, but it wasn’t enough to stop Helensburgh moving top of their section ahead of their final group game at home to Crookston Castle this Saturday, May 12. Kick-off is at 2pm.

Squad: O’Brien, Makeham, Johns, Cameron, Bailey, Meader, Connolly, Johannson, Tadlock, Sinclair, Phipps, Jeffreys, Black, Park, Jones.