Dundee United romp to #SWFL2 Cup win
By Tim Oliver
An astonishing first-half display saw Dundee United defeat Dunfermline Development 9-0 to lift the SWFL Division Two Cup in their debut season. Dundee United dominated the game, having 36 shots compared to Dunfermline’s two.
Dundee United had an astonishing start to the final, scoring after just 32 seconds. Tammy Harkin’s corner picked out Kirsty Oliphant at the far post who scored with a header.
In the third minute, it was 2-0 when Lorna Young broke into the Dunfermline box, holding off a defender to poke the ball under the keeper Brooke Gillies.
It could have been 3-0 minutes later from another corner where Fiona Mearns had her shot blocked before Young fired just wide.
Dunfermline’s defence switched off, thinking Harkin’s through-ball found Mearns in an offside position, but the flag stayed down and Gillies had to produce a magnificent save to deny the striker.
It was 3-0 though shortly after through a quick attack. A long ball sent Young down the right-wing and she brilliantly beat her marker to break into the box before cutting the ball back to provide Mearns with a simple finish.
In the 28th minute, Keira Johnston came close to their fourth, as her shot from outside the box just went wide, with what was Dundee United’s 15th shot at that point.
A solo effort from Megan Robb made it 5-0 as she broke down the left-wing and into the box before calmly placing the ball past Gillies. Three minutes later, it was 6-0 when Robb’s corner was spilt by Gillies, providing Georgie Simpson with a tap-in.
Dundee United then had a goal disallowed when Robb played a diagonal through-ball to Mearns who scored, only for the effort to be ruled out by the offside the flag.
In the 44th minute, they scored their sixth. Harkin broke into the box and turned her marker to find herself unmarked before scoring.
In the dying seconds of the first half, they made it 7-0 when Robb’s corner dropped to Mearns who scored from 6-yards out.
Half Time: Dunfermline Development 0-7 Dundee United
Dunfermline Development had a better start to the second half with Courtney Munoz Paxon and Nikki James having half-chances. Samantha Connell nearly found a goal back for Dunfermline, but as she broke into the box, Dundee United’s keeper Rebecca Cameron was off her line to smother the ball.
Mearns could have completed her hat-trick for United when a corner picked her out, but her header hit the woodwork.
In the 63rd minute, Dundee United scored their eighth, taking advantage of a defensive mistake. Debbie Johnston tried to pass to Mearns at the far post, where Alana Ross made an interception to cut the ball out but ended up directing the ball back to Debbie Johnston who scored with a simple finish.
It would take until the 82nd minute for Dundee United to make it 9-0 when Simpson was played into the box and beat the keeper.
Interviews
Gavin Beith – Dundee United Coach
“It’s a great way to end the first half of the season. The girls have done really well in the league, winning seven out of seven, and it’s a great way to cap it win a great win. I’m delighted for the girls, they deserve it. They’ve worked really hard. They’re a great bunch, they give you 100% every time.”
On the start. “I think we’ve done that a lot this season, I think if you get off to a fast start it definitely helps, and we did that going 2-0 up, so it settles the nerves. We’ve got a lot of youngsters, we’ve got a few 15 and 16-year-olds in there, it was great to get the early goal, it just calms everybody down.”
Kirsty Deans
“I could have had a few more (goals), I suppose, but I’m happy for the other girls who got on the scoresheet because I think there were various different goalscorers instead of just one person scoring.”
Teams
Dunfermline Development: Brooke Gillies (Eilidh Wilson 78); Jenny More, Alana Ross, Nikki James (Louise Rodgers 70), Lynne Cowden (Katie Galbraith 68); Laura Kinghorn, Alicia Harrison; Kirsty Baxter (Ashley Parnell HT), Romy Moodie, Courtney Munoz Paxon; Samantha Connell.
Dundee United: Rebecca Cameron (Kim Liddle 68); Erinn McCafferty, Kirsty Oliphant, Georgie Simpson, Megan Burns (Jena Jamieson HT); Emma Sommerville, Tammy Harkin; Lorna Young (Debbie Johnston HT), Keira Johnston (Chloe Robertson HT), Megan Robb (Chelsey Lownie 57); Fiona Mearns.
Goals: Oliphant 1; Young 3; Mearns 18, 45+3; Robb 33; Simpson 36, 82; Harkin 44; Debbie Johnston 63.
Referee: Vikki Allan
