28 November 2021

SWF #ChampionshipCup – Dryburgh Athletic 1-0 Montrose

Match report by Campbell Finlayson

Dryburgh Athletic were crowned the winners of the first-ever SWF Championship Cup after beating league rivals Montrose to lift the trophy at the Falkirk Stadium.

Megan Robb kept her cool to score the only goal of the game midway through the first half and secure a 1-0 win and send the trophy back to Dundee.

Dryburgh had the first chance of the game when Rachel Robbie’s long ball over the top found Robb, but her effort was dragged well wide of the target.

It was Montrose though who had the first major effort on goal, Aimee Ridgeway firing a shot against the post from the edge of the area.

After 19 minutes however, Dryburgh did move in front when Laura Boag played a great ball through for Robb who showed good composure to slot it into the back of the net.

In truth, the rest of the first half was fairly uneventful with Montrose restricted to shots from distance as Dryburgh tried to finish on the break, but neither side could add to the score before the interval.

The Montrose support were celebrating early in the second half when the referee appeared to signal the ball had crossed the line from a corner, but he had instead indicated a foul on Chantelle McKay in the Dryburgh goal.

Set pieces were where Montrose looked most likely to find a way back into the game and they almost found one with yet another stramash in the box after the ball had come off Georgia Carter.

Dryburgh should have added a second with three minutes to go when substitute Alma Codegoni found herself through on goal, but rather than shoot she tried to find Hope Ramage, and the chance was gone.

At the other end, Eilidh Reid smashed the ball against the bar from a free-kick as it looked like their last chance to force extra time was gone.

Montrose continued to press for that leveller, but they couldn’t find a way through and it wasn’t long before the full-time whistle was blown, prompting wild scenes from the Dryburgh players, staff and large travelling support as they celebrated a fantastic victory.

Attendance: 530

Dryburgh Athletic: McKay; C. Sturrock, A. Sturrock, Aitken, Barclay-Beatt (Gormley, 58, Clark, 85)); Robbie, Moreland (Hassett, 49); Collins (Ramage, 77), Boag (Codegoni, 68), McFadyen; Robb

Montrose: Sangster; Reid, Carter, Brough, Culley; Johnstone (Clews, 74), Glennie, Bruce (Anderson, 74); Gammie, Ridgeway, Grant