East Kilbride's 41-goal hero says promotion to SPFL would top personal accolades
Striker Cami Elliott was at the double as EK defeated Bonnyrigg Rose in the first leg of the League Two play-off final
East Kilbride hero Cami Elliott hit his season's best goals tally to put Kilby on the cusp of promotion to the SPFL and insisted going up would mean everything.
The striker, now in his second spell with the Lowland League club after returning from Dundalk in the League of Ireland in July, took his total to 41 goals after bagging a brace in Saturday's 3-1 win over Bonnyrigg Rose, which gives EK a strong advantage going into the second leg of the League Two play-off final at New Dundas Park this weekend.
Elliott knows how much it would mean to the club to win promotion, having seen them try and fail three times in the play-offs over the last decade.
And he insists it would mean so much more than any personal accolade.
Elliott, who has helped the side win a treble already this season, said: "It was good, it was a great feeling because that was my 40th goal and then obviously I went and got my 41st in the second half. It was a good feeling because I've been on 39 goals for a few weeks now, so it was great to get my 40th.
'Hopefully I can get some more, try and get to 42, that's the aim anyway.
'It's my best ever goal return in a season. I'm enjoying it, I'm loving it. To get 41 goals for the season is a good achievement but I don't really care about it because it's just about getting the club up to League Two.
'And if we do then you don't know what this club can achieve after that.
'Ultimately the season has come down to these two games. The treble was brilliant but this is what we've all been brought to the club for, to take the club into League Two, so we're looking forward to the next game."
While EK will be the favourites to progress at New Dundas Park, Elliott knows the tie is far from over.
Kilby took a 4-1 lead to Brora Rangers in the semi-finals and were given a run for their money in the Highlands. Brora led the second leg 3-1 at one stage, making it just 5-4 in EK's favour on aggregate, before the visitors found two goals to earn a 3-3 draw and progress 7-4 over the two ties.
He added: "The gaffer was saying it's only half-time now, so we need to be confident and go again. Obviously it will be a totally different game at Bonnyrigg's ground, but we just need to prepare right and see where it takes us.
"We can't get complacent. We have to stay positive and stay strong and just see what happens, but hopefully we'll get the job done.
"It's only half-time, but we've given ourselves a great platform being 3-1 up. Yet we know it's going to be difficult there. I've played there a few times and it's a really hard place to go to.
"But as long as we go with a game plan and set up right, the way the coaching staff want us to go, then we'll be fine."
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