Stranraer v East Kilbride: Kilby ace is eager to blast his side into history

Nathan Flanagan is bursting to blast his East Kilbride side into the history books after waiting a month to see out a suspension.

A Pyramid play-off semi-final against Buckie Thistle being scrubbed meant the attacker was a frustrated spectator at K-Park for last Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Stranraer, having been sent off in Kilby’s penultimate league game.

Flanagan had to watch as Andy Stirling’s 32nd-minute opener was cancelled out by a Sean McIntosh strike inside first-half stoppage time, and Craig Ross headed the visitors in front in 60 minutes.

Kilby, who had dominated the first half and could have been out of sight, fought back to level through a terrific strike by John Robertson, to take the fight up to Stair Park this afternoon.

And Flanagan, from East Kilbride, is keen to play his part in firing them up to League Two.

He said: “I can’t stand going and watching games where I can’t impact it, especially when I feel I could have had a big impact on the game.

“I was hoping – because it’s not our fault Buckie couldn’t play the matches – the suspension would have come into that, as I would have played in that match, but ultimately it didn’t.

“We’ve had friendlies and training is always to a high intensity, so I won’t have missed any sharpness or fitness. I’ll be ready to go.

“Maybe because I have missed a few weeks I might start hot, but I will try to rein that in, treat it like any other game, play the way I play, and hopefully make a big impact.

“For everybody – the staff, players, fans, the owners, the full town – it is a massive thing.

“No matter what level it is, being the first ones to do it is always brilliant.

“We have the foundations to build again, and we’re looking to make a big impact on League Two if we do go up.”

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