A KILWINNING Rangers youth side have made history after being crowned champions of Scotland.
The club's 2010 team became Scottish Cup winners on Sunday as they came from behind to beat Lochend FA 3-2.
The young Buffs side found themselves 1-0 down at the break before second-half goals from Corey Mackay and Seain Cassidy flipped the script.
Freddie Lucas added a third in injury time, which proved vital as Lochend notched one back just moments later.
It was too little too late as Kilwinning made it a day to remember at Broadwood and became the first Buffs youth team to ever claim the trophy.
“We’re absolutely ecstatic," manager Gary McDonald said. "We’re all just dead proud of the boys. It’s a day they will probably never experience again as a grassroots boys’ club team. It was just absolutely phenomenal.
“It was like an event, the whole day was just amazing. The boys were down at the Corner House for food and the fan zone that was arranged at the Sports Club before you even got on a bus.
“When we got there, it was a tough game, we knew it would be a tough game. We lost the first goal but the boys responded well.
“It was a matter of going out there and getting a wee break in the second half, which they did. They thoroughly deserved it, I felt.”
McDonald, who himself won the senior Scottish Cup with St Johnstone, thanked those who showed support and ensured his side were given an unforgettable day.
He added: “I feel like we’ve been building up to this for so long, the boys were dying to get the game played.
“We wanted the day to be special for the boys, no matter the result we wanted them to remember it. We did everything we could.
“The backing we had was incredible, we took eight buses up there. They said no one had taken anything like we had.
“It really added to it, when you were on the park you could really appreciate it. It really made a difference, as soon as we got that first goal I knew the crowd would get right behind us.
“The momentum just took us through, they spurred us on. It made such a difference, it was a brilliant atmosphere, it was absolutely incredible.”
The boss also looked to emphasise just how big the achievement was for the under-16 side.
McDonald continued: “It’s the biggest and best achievement you can get as a boys’ club team, I said that to the boys.
“We spent a bit of time in the club museum before we left, I said to them ‘if you win today, you’re the only Buffs youth team to ever win the Scottish Cup. You will make history and you’ll be in this museum, you’ll be part of the history of this club forever if you can do it’.
“We tucked the trophy in there last night after we won, you can’t get any better than that.”
The day also felt like a milestone moment for McDonald and fellow coach Seain Cassidy Snr, who have taken the team since its inception 12 years ago.
The manager said: “I’m immensely proud of my son and the whole team. Seain and I have been working with the boys for 12 years now, we’ve known them since they were tiny wee boys.
“We’ve kept the core of the group, we’ve lost one or two to pro youth, to see them grow and develop, we just felt this was coming.
“To finally get there and to get a day like they had, we’re just so proud of them. We’ll never get a day like it again.
“We’ll milk this for as long as we possibly can. The Scottish Cup is special, 242 teams started, to come out on top of that as a wee team from Kilwinning, we are just so chuffed.”
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