Kirkintilloch Rob Roy boss dedicates cup win to Lisbon Lion Stevie Chalmers

Rob Roy boss Stewart Maxwell has hailed his heroes for an epic performance to reach the club’s first major cup final in nine years.
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy held off Auchinleck Talbot to win a semi-final epicKirkintilloch Rob Roy held off Auchinleck Talbot to win a semi-final epic
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy held off Auchinleck Talbot to win a semi-final epic

Saturday’s 4-3 win over Auchinleck Talbot at Beechwood Park put the Kirkintilloch side into final of the West of Scotland Cup final for the first time since they lost to Irvine Meadow in 2010.

Maxwell dedicated the win to former player, Lisbon Lion Stevie Chalmers, who died last week.

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Chalmers played for Rob Roy from 1953 to 1955 before going on to score the winner in the 1967 European Cup final with Celtic.

Maxwell said: “We haven’t been scoring recently and I think he must have been up there with his shooting boots on to put the ball in the net.”

The Rabs boss said beforehand that it would take a top performance to earn a win over the Ayrshire giants on their own ground - and he got what he asked for.

He said: “I thought to a man - 1 to 14 - we were magnificent.

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“I said before the game that we needed to be on the front foot, try to be first to the ball and assert what we can do going forward.

“It was a great cup tie with some great goals. We scored a couple of really good goals and after going behind twice we fought back to lead.

“It had a bit of everything - excitement, passion, desire - and we thoroughly deserved our victory.

“They are 26 games undefeated, 13 clean sheets, no losses in a long time and they’ve not conceded four goals at home in a long time. That tells you the magnitiude of the result and performance. I’m delighted for the committee, the supporters and staff.

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“It was magnificent. The players commented on how big a support we had and there were a few guys with tears in their eyes because Rob Roy don’t get to a lot of finals. It was an emotional day.”

Rabs will face Beith in the final at Irvine’s Meadow Park on June 8 - but before then they have three vital league games to collect the three points they need to avoid relegation.

Maxwell said: “We’ve got games against two teams going for the title [Hurlford and Auchinleck] and then a rehearsal of the cup final with Beith so it’s not going to be easy. We’ve got to go and earn the points we need to stay in the league, but they’ve proved they can do it.

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