Amateurs: Danderhall Miners make it a treble

Danderhall Miners beat Shotts Victoria to win the South of Scotland Cup for the first time

Having already won the Championship, as well as the Challenge Cup, Hall held off a late rally from their Lanarkshire opponents.

Manager Alex Stewart hailed it as a historic night for the club. “It’s unbelievable, way beyond my expectations. At the start of the season we looked to get promoted and we’ve ended up with three cups, including this one which has never been won in the club’s history. It’s absolutely tremendous.”

On the damp artificial surface at Hamilton Academical’s home ground, Hall instantly looked to press high up the park and had a great opportunity to go ahead when Kevin Milne rose to nod Daniel Taylor’s free kick just wide from the left.

Shotts thought they had the lead with 20 minutes gone. Ritchie Barr put the ball in the net from close range but referee Craig Lowrie ruled the goal out as Jamie Callan was adjudged to have fouled Hall’s David Curran.

It was a key moment in the game as Hall replied with a goal that did count ten minutes later. Martin Hughes chipped the ball into the path of Darren Anderson from just outside the area and the striker rolled the ball into the far right corner past Shotts keeper Brian North.

Shotts dug out an equaliser with half-time approaching. Graeme Millar found space in the Hall box to get his shot away and it flew into the bottom left corner.

However, 60 seconds later Hall were back ahead. From a corner David Curran picked out Kevin Milne at the front post and he leapt like a salmon to head the ball into the far left corner.

It was a slow start to the second half but the game opened up and Hall took advantage to score. Andy Dailly headed in Taylor’s corner at the right-hand post past North for 3-1.

Shotts were rattled and Hall might well have had another but James Laing’s effort from the edge of the box was well saved. Then, with 15 minutes to go, Darren Anderson’s header from a corner was cleared off the line by Ryan Fairley.

The door was left open for Shotts and into the final ten minutes they pulled one back. Substitute Liam McGuigan took advantage of some time and space in the Hall box to fire in Millar’s ball in from the left.

It was a nervy finish for Hall as they counted down the minutes to full time with a slim lead. But they kept the ball and made sure they didn’t give Shotts a sniff.

Aitchison had a chance to wrap the game up for Hall in injury time but he stuck his effort over the bar from 25 yards.

But it wasn’t to matter as Hall saw out a tense final few seconds towin the cup, capping a remarkable season for the boys in black and yellow.

Danderhall Miners: Thomas Cordery, Ryan McQueenie, Richard Todd, Andy Dailly, Kevin Milne, Daniel Taylor, David Curran, James Laing, Darren Anderson, Martin Hughes, Grant McMillan, Grant Aitchison, Mark Brown, Evan Watson, Lee Smith, Scott Cairney, Colin Lawson.

Shotts Victoria: Brian North, Ritchie Barr, Scott Barr, Scott Barr (2), Scott Brown, James Callan, Ryan Fairley, William Fairley, Kris Ferguson, Frazer Kirkland, Graeme Millar, Declan Muir, Robert Murphy, David Paris, John Walker, Liam Whyte, Steven King, Liam McGuigan, Patrick Shellie.