1997 Scottish Challenge Cup Final

1997 Scottish Challenge Cup Final
Event 1997–98 Scottish Challenge Cup
Date 2 November 1997
Venue Fir Park, Motherwell
Referee R. T. Tait (East Kilbride)[1]
Attendance 9,735[1]

The 1997 Scottish Challenge Cup Final was an association football match between Falkirk and Queen of the South on 2 November 1997 at Fir Park in Motherwell.[2] It was the eighth final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League.

The tournament was contested by clubs below the Scottish Premier Division; Falkirk from the First Division and Queen of the South from the Second Division. The match was Falkirk's first national cup final in only six months since contesting the final of the Scottish Cup the previous season in May. It was also the club's second appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup Final since winning in 1993.[1] The match was Queen of the South's first national cup final in its 78-year history. David Hagen scored the only goal which was enough for Falkirk to win the match 1–0 and the tournament for the second time.[1]

Route to the final

Round Opposition Score
First round Dumbarton (a) 2–0
Second round Forfar Athletic (h) 3–1
Quarter-final Stranraer (h) 3–0
Semi-final Hamilton Academical (a) 2–1

Falkirk

Falkirk were drawn against Dumbarton away from home in the first round and produced a 2–0 victory over The Sons. The second round saw Forfar Athletic travel to Brockville Park and be beaten 3–1. Another home game for Falkirk was drawn in the quarter-finals against Stranraer which saw The Bairns triumph 3–0 winners to progress to the semi-finals. The opposition provided was Hamilton Academical which saw Falkirk win with a 2–1 victory and send the club to a Scottish Challenge Cup Final for the second time in its history.

Queen of the South

Round Opposition Score
First round Inverness Caledonian Thistle (a) 2–0
Second round Stirling Albion (h) 2–0
Quarter-final Airdrieonians (a) 3–2
Semi-final Greenock Morton (a) 2–0

Queen of the South faced a long trip to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the first round which saw the team emerge 2–0 winners. The second round was a home game with the visitors in the form of Stirling Albion with The Doonhamers producing a second consecutive 2–0 victory. A trip to Airdrieonians was the reward for reaching the quarter-finals with Queen of the South edging the opposition out to win 3–2. Morton provided the opposition for the Dumfries club in the semi-finals with the team producing their third 2–0 victory of the tournament. Queen of the South reached the Scottish Challenge Cup Final for the first time.

Pre-match

Analysis

Before the final, after four games played each, both Falkirk and Queen of the South had only conceded four goals between them. Queen of the South earned three clean sheets bettering Falkirk's two. At the other end Falkirk had scored ten goals to Queen of the South's nine.

Match summary

Queens performed creditably against the Falkirk side who at the time were playing in a higher division of the Scottish football set up, cheered on noisily by the QoS supporters witnessing their team in their first national cup final since the Scottish Qualifying Cup win of 1923/24.[3] The decisive moment of the game was when Falkirk's David Hagen scored in the sixty fifth minute. Queens' had a late opportunity to equalise when Tommy Bryce teed up Derek Townsley in a good shooting position just outside the Falkirk penalty area. Townsley's shot however failed to trouble Paul Mathers in the Falkirk goal as the ball went over the cross bar. Hagen's goal was enough to separate the sides with Bryce taking the man of the match award.[4]

Match statistics

2 November 1997
15:00
Falkirk 1 – 0 Queen of the South
Hagen  65' Report
Fir Park, Motherwell
Attendance: 9,735
Referee: R Tait

Teams

FALKIRK:
GK 1Scotland Paul Mathers
DF 2Scotland Martyn Corrigan
DF 3England Jamie McGowan
MF 4Scotland Scott MacKenzie
DF 5Scotland Kevin James
DF 6Scotland Neil Berry
MF 7Scotland Kevin McAllister
MF 8Scotland Albert Craig
FW 9Scotland Paul McGrillen  74'
MF 10England David Moss
FW 11Scotland David Hagen
Substitutes:
DF 12Scotland Neil Oliver
MF 14Scotland Brian Hamilton
FW 15Scotland Marino Keith  74'
Manager:
Scotland Alex Totten
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH:
GK 1Scotland David Mathieson
DF 2Scotland David Kennedy
DF 3Scotland Andy Aitken
DF 4Scotland George Rowe
DF 5Scotland Jim Thomson
MF 6England Derek Townsley
MF 7Scotland Marc Cleeland  74'
MF 8Scotland Tommy Bryce
FW 9Scotland Stevie Mallan
FW 10Scotland Ken Eadie  48'
MF 11Scotland Des McKeown  83'
Substitutes:
MF 12Scotland Craig Irving  74'
DF 14Scotland Jamie McAllister  83'
FW 15Scotland Craig Flannigan  48'
Manager:
Scotland Rowan Alexander

References

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