By Tim Oliver
SSE Scottish Cup action returns this Sunday with four fascinating Quarter-Finals. Seven Scottish Building Society SWPL sides are competing for a place in the Semi-Finals, and the eighth team – Cumbernauld Colts – are in the SWFL Division One South.
Cumbernauld Colts v Forfar Farmington
Broadwood Stadium, Kick-off: 12pm
The only remaining SWFL side left in the competition, Cumbernauld Colts, host SBSSWPL 2 leaders Forfar Farmington.
Cumbernauld Colts are currently sitting in sixth place in the SWFL Division One South on 23 points, and are in the battle for second place. Currently, three points separate second and sixth in the division, with FC Kilmarnock currently ten points clear at the top of the division. The side has already experienced cup success this season by winning the 2017 SWF Division One Cup, beating Celtic Academy 1-0 in the final, thanks to Sarah Wardlaw’s goal.
They entered the SSE Scottish Cup in the First Round, beating SWFL Division One North Dunfermline Athletic 5-2, before defeating another team from the same league, Falkirk FC, 3-1 in the Second Round. In the past round, they were involved in a 4-3 epic win over SWFL Division One South’s Boroughmuir Thistle with Melissa Porter scoring the winning goal with three minutes left in extra-time. All of their matches in their cup run have been at home.
Forfar Farmington are currently leading the Scottish Building Society SWPL 2, sitting eight points clear of Motherwell. So far this season they’ve experienced just two defeats in all competitions, a 1-0 defeat to Celtic in the SWPL Cup First Round and a defeat to Motherwell in the league.
They’ve experienced their best Scottish Cup run since 2012 when they reached the final (where they lost 1-0 to Glasgow City). Like all SBSSWPL sides, Forfar Farmington entered this year’s cup in the Second Round, where they beat Raith Rovers, who play in the SWFL Division Two East, 5-2. In the last round, they faced fellow SBSSWPL 2 side Buchan who they beat 7-0.
Hibernian v Glasgow Girls
Ainslie Park, Kick-off: 1pm
For the second Sunday in a row, the SSE Scottish Cup holders Hibernian are in cup action at home, this time against SBSSWPL 2 Glasgow Girls.
Hibernian, who won last year’s competition on penalties against Glasgow City after a thrilling final, are currently in the hunt for the domestic treble. They are currently in second place in SBSSWPL 1, behind City, but having played a game less than the league champions.
They have already won the SWPL Cup, beating Celtic in the final, their third domestic cup win in a row. In this year’s SSE Scottish Cup, they defeated SBSSWPL 2 Motherwell 11-0 before beating Scottish Building Society SWPL 1 Celtic 5-0 last Sunday.
Glasgow Girls are currently sitting in third place in the SBSSWPL 2, six points behind second place having played one game less, meaning they have a good chance of improving on last season’s third-placed finish. They were knocked out of the SWPL Cup in the First Round, having lost to Aberdeen.
Their SSE Scottish Cup Run has seen them defeat SWFL Division Two West club Bishopton 8-0, before narrowly beating SWFL Division One South sides Renfrew 1-0 in the previous round, thanks to Lauren Coleman’s goal.
Jeanfield Swifts v Glasgow City
McDiarmid Park, Kick-off: 4pm
For the second time in a cup competition this season, SBSSWPL 2 Jeanfield Swifts hosts the SBSSWPL 1 champions Glasgow City.
Jeanfield Swifts come into this game on the back of good form since the mid-season break. They’ve won two, drawn one and lost the other. They now sit in fourth place on 20 points but eight points behind second.
They hosted Glasgow City in the First Round of the SWPL Cup, that time, Glasgow City were 8-0 victors.
In their SSE Scottish Cup run, Jeanfield have played two SWFL Division One South clubs, first defeating Westerlands 3-0 in the Second Round, before narrowly beating Queen’s Park 2-1 in the previous round, although, the Queen’s Park goal came just before the final whistle.
Hamilton Academical vs Rangers
The SuperSeal Stadium, Kick-off: 4pm
In the only-all SBSSWPL 1 clash, Hamilton Academical host Rangers.
Hamilton Academical are sitting in seventh place in the league, two points ahead of the relegation place. Their SWPL Cup run ended in the First Round where they lost 3-0 to Hearts.
In the Second Round of the SSE Scottish Cup, Hamilton defeated the SWFL Division One South leaders FC Kilmarnock (and the winners of the first ever Scottish Cup) 4-1 before beating SWFL Division One North’s Granite City 7-0.
Rangers are sitting just one place above Hamilton in the league, but 12 points ahead and have had some mightily impressive results since Amy McDonald took charge, including beating Celtic twice. In this year’s SWPL Cup, they beat Edinburgh University Hutchison Vale 8-3 before losing to the eventual winners Hibernian in the Quarter-Finals.
Their SSE Scottish Cup run has seen them beat SBSSWPL 1 side, Aberdeen, 2-1 in extra-time, despite having their keeper sent off in the second half, before defeating another SBSSWPL 1 side, Stirling University, 4-2 in the previous round.
