Winchburgh Albion 14s, Glasgow Metropolis YPL and Giffnock Soccer Centre 18s have lifted the 2024 ScottishPower Youth Problem Cup of their respective age classes after three thrilling finals at Ochilview Stadium in Stenhousemuir.
Winchburgh Albion needed to see out a primary half which their opponents dominated, Glasgow Ladies’ Charly Rankin displaying fast toes to create early probabilities and Glasgow keeper Leah Grieg displaying nice confidence in popping out to smother counter assaults to maintain the sport goalless on the break. The second half would inform a distinct story, nonetheless, as Winchburgh bundled in a objective from a nook early on, a superb drive from Amy Cluness noticed her dance previous two tackles to poke dwelling earlier than Emma Miller lifted the ball over Grieg on the hour mark to safe a 3-0 victory.
Chatting with Youth Soccer Scotland afterwards, defender Mia Hendry stated: “After we acquired the objectives it lifted our spirits as staff, figuring out that we may then go on and win it.”
Giffnock Soccer Centre lifted the 18s cup thank to the heroics of goalkeeper Phoebe Stewart in a tense penalty shootout which adopted 120 minutes of nervous stalemate. The keeper dove to her proper to disclaim Glasgow Ladies Laurie McCormack, who had positioned her shot properly.
After a primary half which Glasgow Ladies attacked with impetus via the tempo of winger Amelia Barton and fast toes of playmaker Emma Louise Black, a number of Giffnock gamers had pulled up with cramp within the latter phases of the sport, together with captain Katherine Sharpe who had been busy at each ends of the park and ultimately needed to come off, however the East Renfrewshire aspect created possibilities of their very own, together with a penalty declare in further time as Glasgow goalie Emily Hussey appeared to take extra of the attacker than the ball, however the referee waving play on.
Sharpe bravely returned to the sector in a extra superior place for the ultimate minutes and, due to her keeper within the shootout, led her aspect to the trophy.
Glasgow Metropolis claimed the 16s ScottishPower Youth Problem Cup in what can be a five-goal thriller towards Youth Efficiency League rivals Musselburgh Windsor.
Proper from kick-off, Metropolis striker Robyn Docherty was displaying nice consciousness of Musselburgh’s offside entice and her capability to show defenders to create a intriguing contest with Musselburgh goalkeeper Evie Thomas who, after Docherty had overwhelmed her within the seventh minute rose to the problem with an important efficiency.
With Docherty’s strike separating the perimeters on the interval, an unbelievable free kick from distance by Musselburgh’s Rachel Smith on 47 minutes supplied a worthy equaliser, however Metropolis had been forward once more inside a minute, Laura Quinn heading dwelling a well-placed nook.
With ten minutes remaining, a Musselburgh counter noticed Riley Hamilton present nice composure to fit dwelling one other equaliser, and the 400-strong crowd had been making ready for further time. However with a minute remaining Metropolis captain Darcy Greig took benefit of a stramash within the field to fit dwelling the winner and ship the Glasgow followers wild.
The ScottishPower Youth Problem Cup finals represented the climax of Scottish Ladies’s Soccer’s largest cup competitors, which noticed properly over 300 groups from throughout Scotland enter initially of the yr, with medals and trophies handed out by VIPs Keith Anderson, James Reddington and Sasha Finn from title sponsors ScottishPower, Scotland’s Minister for Public Well being and Ladies’s Well being Jenni Minto and Cecil Meiklejohn, the chief of Falkirk Council.
