East Kilbride's season has gone from bad to worse with a third defeat in five home games in the Lowland League.
Here's a look at the talking points after Kilby's title hopes evaporated with a 1-0 defeat to Stirling University...
Fans losing patience with Malcolm
A lack of cutting edge, disappointing performances and even more disappointing results, East Kilbride fans are losing patience with the man who guided them to the title last season.
Displays have dropped so far below the standards of the 2018/19 success that fans are now turning their frustrations towards Stuart Malcolm.
Having stuck by him over the last few weeks as he came under pressure for a succession of dropped points, losing at home for the third time in five games this season has taken its toll on the K-Park faithful.
As the loss of another three points sunk in on Saturday night, fans directed their ire at Malcolm on the club’s official Twitter account.
Gordon Kinnear (@gkbusdriver) said: “Season has fallen apart. Someone has to take responsibility.”
Davy Gallacher (@davy_gallacher) commented: “Have a word with the management.”
FT EK 0 - 1 @StirlingUniFC pic.twitter.com/tUUsRupGp3
— East Kilbride FC (@officialEKFC) October 26, 2019
Graham Barrie (@GrahamBarrie7) said: “Really poor stuff this season. Awful today.”
Ian (@shimmygrrrr) commented: “Really poor today. Barely a shot on goal second half.”
And Willie Pettigrew (@willie1962)stated: “Not really good enough is it?”
It remains to be seen how much longer the club are willing to stick by Malcolm – who has a win percentage of 45 in the league – as their worst-ever season goes from bad to worse.
Martin mess adds to woes
As if things weren’t bad enough for EK, goalkeeper Alan Martin has waved goodbye to the club after a fallout with Stuart Malcolm.
Martin, who was playing in the SPFL Championship last season, was the best signing of the summer at K-Park and his exit suggests even the players are growing frustrated with the manager.
Students strike again
Stirling University know a thing or two about putting a spanner in the works when it comes to East Kilbride.
For the 1-0 win at K-Park isn’t the first time they’ve killed Kilby’s title hopes.
Fans will know only too well that it was the students who scuppered EK’s bid to retain their title in 2017/18 under Billy Stark. EK were going for back-to-back titles that season, but Stirling inflicted a 2-0 defeat at the Falkirk Stadium on the final day of the campaign, when a win would have seen EK pip Spartans to the trophy.
Stirling have won five of the 13 meetings between the sides in the Lowland League down the years, drawing two and losing six.
They also inflicted EK’s first-ever Lowland League defeat on the opening day of the inaugural campaign in 2013, winning 2-1.
Fair to say they are not Kilby’s favourite opponents.
