Written by Chris Marshall
This Sunday saw 34 sides from the length and breadth of the country scheduled to face off in the next stop on their Road to the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup Final. With results coming in throughout the afternoon the story of the day appeared to emerge in the north of the country as Irvine based Clark Drive Ladies were rewarded with their first ever competitive victory after a seven and half hour 400 mile round trip to face Nairn Ladies. The Ayrshire outfit making club history thanks to a 7-0 victory.
Clark Drive weren’t the only team racking up the road miles though as Inverness based Clachnacuddin made the slightly shorter six hour long 350 mile round trip to take on SWFL1 South side Queen’s Park at Lesser Hampden, just five days after a Scottish record attendance of 18,555 cheered on Scotland to a 3-2 win against Jamaica . The good times would continue to roll down Mount Florida way as the hosts ran out 17-0 winners with Ash McKeown top scoring for the Spiders by grabbing six in the rout.
17-0 wouldn’t be the height of Sunday’s score lines though as it would be Clach’s city rivals, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who would rack up the biggest victory of the day with their 19-1 victory away to recently formed Panmure with Hannah Gordon grabbing nine for the Caley Jags.
There was also a big away win for East Fife as they emerged 6-0 victors against United Glasgow at Garscube whilst Boroughmuir Thistle were the day’s other big winners with the SWFL1 South hosts easing past visiting Montrose Ladies by seven goals to one at Meggetland.
There was more good news for fans of an Edinburgh persuasion as Edinburgh Caledonia came away from their own long haul adventure to Banff with a 4-1 win over Deveronvale although the emphatic looking scoreline masks the fact that the visitors needed extra time to seal their victory. There was more extra time drama, this time in Tayside, as Dundee City emerged as 4-3 victors against first round shock troops BSC Glasgow with Laura Anne Johnston’s second goal of the game being enough to see the SWFL2 East side edge through.
There was a heavyweight SWFL1 North clash at Pleasure Park as Buchan LFC hosted Aberdeen Women with Deirdre O’Riordan’s visitors having to come back from behind to book their place in the third round with a Shore penalty being enough to seal a 3-2 comeback win.
West Park United emerged as narrow 2-1 victors at home to Border Ladies whilst it was a double dose of cup heartbreak for Dryburgh Athletic as they followed up their extra time loss to Morton in the SWFL2 Cup Final on Friday night with a 2-1 loss at home to Stonehaven Ladies.
There were two five goal haul for visiting sides as Dunfermline Athletic saw off Airdrie Ladies 5-3 at the Airdrie Stadium and Westdyke Ladies saw off Musselburgh Windsor 5-2 at the Pinkie Playing Fields whilst Clyde saw off Bishopton 4-2 at Broadwood Stadium to round off the list of those clubs who have made their way into round three where the 15 eligible sides from the SWPL enter the competition.
Stenhousemuir against Pollok United has been postponed due to the weather. Moray, Kelty Hearts, and Stranraer were unable to fulfil their fixtures.
