Alloa Athletic WFC have claimed their first ever silverware with an impressive 4-0 victory over Penicuik Athletic in the ScottishPower Regional League Plate final in front of around 400 fans.
Player of the Match Bailey Black scored a hat-trick despite the best efforts of a well-organised and disciplined Penicuik defence, with Amy Cully grabbing Alloa’s other goal.
Alloa had beaten the offside trap a few times in the opening stages, and after seven mins Ella Marr in the Penicuik goal produced the first of a string of good saves low to her left to deny Alloa an opener. Black tested her again on 14 minutes, but Penicuik were persistent and worked themselves back into the game, with Alex McInnes in particular composed in defence and restricting Alloa’s runners.
On 21 minutes Alloa keeper Rachel Docherty saved bravely from the feet of Riley Sneddon, but almost let Penicuik in five minutes later, backheeling a clearance to the feet of Daisy Mabon but her shot went just wide. Mabon again on the half-hour mark was one-on-one but Docherty closed her down at her near post for a great stop.
Penicuik were ramping up the pressure and enjoying their best spell of the game, but it would be Alloa Athletic who opened the scoring, Black nodding in on 39 minutes after another great save from Marr. Mia Hutcheson almost added a second on the stroke of half time but another deft save from Marr denied her.
The second half would explode into life immediately, as Black broke down the right and calmly slotted home a second for Alloa. Amy Cully added a third shortly after and Penicuik rang the changes to introduce more grit into their midfield, but the damage had been done and Black completed her hat-trick just ahead of the hour-mark.