East Kilbride FC have been reinstated to the South Challenge Cup after rivals Auchinleck Talbot were booted out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player.
Kilby fell to a 1-0 defeat in Ayrshire last week in a last 16 clash at Beechwood Park, but it transpired that defending champions Talbot fielded goalkeeper Joshua Bradley-Hurst when he had represented Clydebank against Pollok earlier in the competition.
Ironically, Kilby's Aiden McDonald also played in that clash for Clydebank alongside Bradley-Hurst and he was cup tied for the Talbot game.
Last week, South Challenge Cup secretary Richard Osborne told Lanarkshire Live Sport that Talbot had seven days to respond to the allegation and they have now been disqualified.
Talbot say they are considering appealing the decision and released the following statement this morning: "ATFC is very disappointed to be advised that we have been disqualified from the South Region Challenge Cup for fielding an ineligible player.
"Joshua Bradley-Hurst was signed on an emergency Goalkeeper loan. Following information provided to us via the normal required sources, the parent Club and the competition Organisers/Secretary, we believed that the player was eligible for the SRCC game v East Kilbride FC.
"Similar checks for eligibility had been made previously on recent signings, Ross Smith (eligible) and Ryan Sinnamon and Marc Fisher who were ineligible for this competition. Therefore we fully trusted that Josh was eligible.
"On this occasion the Club was not made aware that he played for Clydebank v Pollok in Round 2 of the SRCC Saturday 15 October 2022.
"The decision is open to appeal to the SFA and this is being considered by the Club."
East Kilbride have confirmed they have been reinstated and will now travel to Lowland League rivals Caledonian Braves in the quarter-finals on April 1.
On the match with Caley Braves, boss Kevin Rutkiewicz said: "We've had them in every cup this year so it's familiar foes.
"Caley Braves are a team we've done well against but we know it will be a tough game.
"Both teams go into that knowing it is their best chance of silverware this season so I think it will be caution to the wind to try and get the victory."
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