Auchinleck Talbot could to be booted out of South Challenge Cup and East Kilbride reinstated after fielding ineligible player

East Kilbride are set to be reinstated to the South Challenge Cup after rivals Auchinleck Talbot allegedly fielded an ineligible player during a last 16 clash on Saturday.

Kilby fell to a 1-0 defeat in Ayrshire after Bryan Boylan's strike in 24 minutes proved the difference at Beechwood Park.

However, it has transpired that defending champions Talbot fielded goalkeeper Joshua Bradley-Hurst when he had represented Clydebank against Pollok earlier in the competition, as the Bankies ran out 4-2 winners in October.

Ironically, Kilby's Aiden McDonald also played in that clash for Clydebank alongside Bradley-Hurst and he was cup tied for the Talbot game.

Bradley-Hurst is currently on loan at Talbot from Clyde and the Sri Lankan player had a previous spell at Dumbarton.

The organisers of the South Challenge Cup - which includes teams from the Lowland League, West of Scotland League, East of Scotland League and South of Scotland League - have confirmed the allegation is being investiagted and if Talbot are found to have breached the rules, it is expected they will be booted out and East Kilbride will go through to the quarter-finals to face Lowland rivals Caledonian Braves away from home on April 1.

East Kilbride boss Kevin Rutkiewicz said: "It does look like Talbot have fielded an ineligible player. Their goalkeeper played for Clydebank in a previous round.

"Looking back on similar circumstances in the past, it looks like we would be reinstated.

"It's not the way we would want to go through in a cup but we were without five players on Saturday due to them being cup tied - two of which have been starting every game in Ally Peacock and Jamie Docherty - so rules are rules.

"Reg McLaren, Danny Connor and Aiden McDonald were also