East Kilbride annihilate Gretna with NINE goal show in front of new boss Mick Kennedy as cup defence kicks off with a bang

East Kilbride were clearly keen to impress new boss Mick Kennedy this afternoon after thumping NINE goals past sorry Gretna without reply this afternoon.

The new gaffer at K-Park won't officially take the reins until the end of the season, but he was in attendance at Raydale Park to see the current squad, managed by interim boss Martin Fellowes, kick-off the defence of their Lowland League Cup in style.

It was a huge victory but fell short of the club's record success, which came in 2015 with a 13-0 win against Creetown in the second round of the South Challenge Cup.

Rampant Kilby were an incredible 7-0 up at the break to leave their hosts shell-shocked as they went into the half-time interval for a welcome breather.

A Bob McHugh after just two minutes got them off an running before Danny McManus made it 2-0 inside eight minutes. McHugh slotted home his second and Kilby's third with just 20 minutes on the clock before Kyle Connell made it 4-0 five minutes later.

Ben Hughes put the game beyond all doubt with the fifth goal in 34 minutes and Connell grabbed his second of the afternoon less than 60 seconds later.

There was still time for Dylan McDonald to squeeze in a seventh before the half-time whistle.

There was no letting up in the second half as Connell completed his hat-trick in the 58th minute when he hammered home from a BJ Coll cross.

McHugh fancied a hat-trick as well and duly got his in the 84th minute when he arrowed in a free-kick to complete Gretna's misery and reach the quarter-finals.

The result came off the back of Gretna parting company with manager Michael McIndoe earlier in the week.

Elsewhere, fellow Lanarkshire sides Cumbernauld Colts and Caledonian Braves were also in action.

Both sides progressed