A BRAVE performance wasn’t enough to prevent Loch Lomond’s first team losing 3-1 at home to runaway league leaders East Kilbride at Hermitage Academy on Saturday.

Despite East Kilbride’s potent mixture of youth, experience, speed and precision, in the early stages of the game a stranger would have found it hard to say which team was leading the league, with only some good saves keeping Loch Lomond out.

But the visitors’ strength and skill soon started to cause the home side problems, and two short corner routines gave EK a 2-0 lead at half time.

Loch Lomond found a way back into the match thanks to a cracking goal by Kim McCallion – but against the run of play it was East Kilbride who added a third, despite protests from the Loch Lomond defenders who felt a foul had been committed in the build-up to the goal.

The visitors had the ball in the net for a fourth time, but umpire Dayle Hartopp was quick to spot that the strike was too high from a penalty corner.

Despite the result, Loch Lomond can take heart from their dertermination, skill and composure – and from some fabulous play from the midfield, who linked up passes and used the space well.

Special mention to midfielder Tara Jackson, whose amazing effort, brave tackling and brilliant play deservedly won her the player of the match award.

Lauren McCreadie was runner-up, while Vanesa Sabala was chosen as the opposition’s player of the match.

Team: Heather Smith, Lauren McCreadie, Caroline Lyall, Eve Howard, Evie Harkins, Hannah White, Vanesa Sabala (capt), Tara Jackson, Eliza Ritchie, Gillian Finch, Rebecca Holland, Alexandra Smith, Kim McCallion, Kirsty Cordner.