Delts secure women’s trophy
Delting 5, Unst 2
Delting triumphed over Unst in an entertaining cup final played in dry but blustery conditions at Clickimin South on Saturday.
Unst won the toss and Captain Cheryl Jamieson elected to take the wind advantage for the first half. Early exchanges were fairly even, with Delting edging it in terms of possession but they found it difficult to test Claire Priest in the Unst goal.
The deadlock was broken in the 14th minute when the pace of Faye Richardson took her through one-on-one with Delting keeper Grace McGowan and she kept her composure to coolly slot the ball into the net to give Unst the lead. This setback roused the Delts and they upped the work rate with the influential Josie Jamieson beginning to dominate the midfield. Delting equalised after 38 minutes through a Lorraine Johnson strike and so it was all square going into the half time break.
The second half got off to a flying start for Delting as Unst were slow to switch on and Toni Sidgwick surged through to score after only 18 seconds. Delting should have had a third 10 minutes later when a loose ball fell to Johnson four yards out with an open goal in front of her, but she lashed at the shot which hit the post and rebounded wide.
The Unst defence was under some real pressure now but they were coping admirably, putting in some good hard tackles. Delting did find their way through after 65 minutes with Johnson getting her second. There was almost an immediate reply at the other end when, again, the lightning pace of Richardson outstripped the Delts defence but her chipped shot went narrowly over the bar.
No Delting Ladies game would be complete without a trademark Josie Jamieson thunderbolt shot and it arrived on 72 minutes from the corner of the box into the roof of the net to put them 4–1 up.
The windy conditions were beginning to tell now as Unst were finding it hard to get out of their own half and it was no surprise when Delting added a fifth through Sara McGregor in the 80th minute. Although the game was all but beyond them, Unst never gave up and their perseverance was rewarded five minutes from time when, once again, the tireless Richardson broke through to net her second.
When referee Sarah Couper blew for full time, both sides were loudly applauded off the pitch by the appreciative spectators after serving up an entertaining game of football.
Wilma Sim, long time stalwart of Shetland Women’s Football, presented the trophy to Delting Captain Lara Jamieson to start the champagne celebrations for the Delts.
Delting: Grace McGowan, Kerri Clark, Debbie Sneddon, Lara Jamieson (C), Yvonne Manson, Lorraine Johnson, Toni Sidgwick, Sara McGregor, Debbie Robertson, Karen Jarvie, Josie Jamieson, (Subs) Megan Nicolson, Hannah Hunter, Claire Stout, Lisa Smith.
Unst: Claire Priest, Kathleen Johnson, Cheryl Jamieson (C), Emily Priest, Louise Hunter, Faye Richardson, Jenny Richardson, Martha Clark, Megan Burns, Shona Johnson, Amber Johnson, (Subs) Alice Mullay, Karis Burns, Chelsea Jamieson, Alana Johnson, Bethany Scott, Linda Thomson.
