Nail-Biting Finale at Football Finals

Last Wednesday our Men’s and Women’s Football Cup Finals were held at Heriot-Watt University’s Oriam facilities. Read more about the action in our match reports below from Anya Diggines, and check out the match replays on our YouTube.

Queens Park Shield: Edinburgh Napier 1 – 2 University of Stirling

The University of Stirling have lifted the Queens Park Shield once again after two years, following a dominant performance against Edinburgh Napier.

Both teams started strong, as Stirling pressured the Napier back line a couple of times in the opening minutes.

Thomas Vonk crossed the ball to Jay Burns who had a shot at goal, but it went high, and a powerful shot from Lewis Blane called Harris Miller into action.

10 minutes in and Stirling still looked dangerous at the edge of Napier’s box. Vonk had a clear header, but it came back off the bar, as Stirling looked desperate to score.

Stirling looked clinical, winning the corner and passing it short to Burns who had space to take a shot, but it went over the bar.

A minute later and Vonk was up for a challenge with Miller as it tipped over the keeper’s head and had to be cleared off the line by the Napier defence.

Stirling managed to get their break on the 20^th minute as Finn Moffett found himself clear of the defence, as he dribbled it round the keeper and slipped it into the back of the net.

Napier bounced back though as Brodie Watt got a break on the ball, but Blane matched his speed, covering him well and denying the equaliser.

The goal spurred Napier into action, as they weren’t letting Stirling get away with much more. Chances were thwarted early as Stirling had to try even harder to get their second.

Their closest chance for a second came as Blane managed to get the ball under the keeper and it looked like it was going in, but Napier’s Iestyn Harries made a crucial clearance off the line to deny the goal.

Heading into half-time the score remained 1-0.

The second half remained uneventful, as chances were few and far between with both sides struggling to keep possession of the ball.

Napier had a huge chance to equalise from a freekick in the 66^th minute, as a scramble in the box saw the ball ricocheted off the bar.

Napier then had another chance as Lucas Lockhart received the ball in the box and smashed it towards goal from close range, but Stirling’s Alex Sutherland made a huge save to keep Stirling in the lead.

It was Stirling that got the second goal of the afternoon though, as they doubled their lead on the 71^st minute with an incredible shot from distance by Burns as it fired into the back of the net.

Napier were keen to get their first of the afternoon, as Louis Holmes received the ball from a corner and sent it towards goal, but it went high.

Holmes received the ball again in the box from a freekick and made an excellent shot towards goal, but it was tipped over the bar by Sutherland.

A scuffle in the box after the corner was the end of their spat of chances, as Stirling looked to take control of the game again for the last ten minutes.

However, Napier got one back in the 88^th minute, with Liam Cairns finding space at the edge of the box and firing it into the top right corner.

Napier looked desperate to see this game into extra time and maybe penalties, but Stirling held up well to block any threats.

It ended 2-1 at full-time, with the University of Stirling getting their hands on the trophy once again.

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#SheCanSheWill Cup Final: University of Edinburgh 1 – 2 University of St. Andrews

It was an all too familiar fixture as these teams faced each other again in the final of this competition for the third season in a row.

The University of Edinburgh looked to lift the cup for the first time against St Andrews. Meanwhile, St Andrews looked to retain their winning streak as they beat Edinburgh twice and the University of Stirling once in the last three cup finals.

Auburn Brenner for St Andrews got a massive chance in the first five minutes as she received the ball in the box and fired the ball towards goal, but it was huge save from the Edinburgh goalkeeper, Lara Sparrow, to deny St Andrews the first.

St Andrews then got a freekick on the edge of the box and Liva Helt sent it to the right but just too far as it smacked off the post, St Andrews looking hungry for that first goal.

Another huge chance for St Andrews came as Olivia Boscaccy got the space to get a shot away at the edge of the box but it just skimmed over the bar.

Edinburgh began to find their feet 25 minutes in as they made some great tackles to stop St Andrews from getting a break on the ball.

Some excellent link-up play allowed Edinburgh to get a chance at goal four minutes before the break as Emily Arthur had a go, but it was sent wide.

A minute later and it was another huge chance for Edinburgh as Kasha Gronowska Butz took a shot inside the box, but it was a great save from Rowan Blacklock.

Helt hit the woodwork again a minute before the break, as St Andrews couldn’t seem to find this first goal.

It remained goalless heading into the break.

The half-time talk looked to make all the difference for Edinburgh as they came out in the second half dominating the game.

Edinburgh’s Dana Perry got a go at goal in the opening seconds of the second half, but it was picked up by Blacklock.

St Andrews’ Adriana Bobenrieth then had a go at the near post, but it was saved by Sparrow who went to ground.

St Andrews came so close just before the hour mark as the ball smashed off the post once again, the ball was picked up on the rebound and fired at the goal again whilst Sparrow was still on the ground, calling the Edinburgh defence to clear the ball off the line as it remained 0-0 with 30 minutes to play.

St Andrews missed a huge chance as Elanhe Sherrell had an open goal but just couldn’t get the shot away before Edinburgh’s defence cleared the threat.

St Andrews finally broke the deadlock on the 69^th minute as Brenner got the ball in the back of the net from a tight angle.

Finding their rhythm after the first goal, St Andrews got their second just six minutes later as Holly Govan scored a sublime goal, sending the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net.

Edinburgh’s captain, Varghese, then looked like she got one back, but the referee was soon blowing his whistle as it was offside.

However, they did get one back in the 86^th minute as Butz scored a fantastic goal, getting the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net.

Edinburgh threw everything into getting that second goal in the closing minutes of the game, however they just couldn’t take anything from their chances.

St Andrews lifted the trophy for the fourth consecutive year after a strong, resilient performance.

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