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Match report: 14s ScottishPower Youth Challenge Cup
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1-3 Dundee United Community Trust
Dundee United have clinched the 14s ScottishPower Youth Challenge Cup after an entertaining final at Ochilview.
Both teams started at a frenetic pace, with United’s Izzy Mclaren causing all sorts of problems for the Caley Thistle defence. Within minutes she was through on goal but Caley Thistle keeper Fara Sutherland came out confidently to clear her lines. Then at the other end 7 shot a ball along the line with no takers, and d keeper got a fingertip to it.
Mclaren opened the scoring after 12 minutes, leaving the impressive Sutherland with no chance as she drove the ball into the bottom corner. Inverness looked certain to equalise on seventeen minutes when the ball rebounded out with the keeper committed, but the forwards got in each other’s way in the box. Although Dundee United showed good control of the midfield in the remainder of the half, the Highlanders did find an equaliser on the stroke of half-time, Elisa Higgins delivering glorious freekick into the top corner to send the travelling fans wild.
Caley Thistle would start the second period brighter too, Sutherland showing great composure to smother Dundonian attacks and Lily Fraser holding the ball well to bring in her teammates. But it would be Dundee United who would break the deadlock, as Mia McKenzie was brought down by Erin Gordon out right, and she curled in a free kick which evaded the onrushing Sutherland and rolled in.
This instilled further confidence, and they were 3-1 up after 51 minutes, sub Katie Black showing great pace to collect on the right and float a pinpoint cross to McLaren who finished well.
Although United were well on top, the game remained highly competitive, and on 57 mins Sutherland stood tall to save a penalty. At the other end, her counterpart in the United goal Poppy Wallace produced an amazing save at full stretch on 64 minutes after Halle Cran had cut in from the left and whipped in a shot.
The full game is available to watch on SWF’s YouTube Channel
