Last Saturday (9th) saw the conclusion of the West District cup competitions as both the George Black Trophy Final and the West District Plate Final took place at Upper Windyedge.
A huge thank you goes to everyone who attended, supported and helped make the day another excellent occasion for West District hockey.
Kelburne Lift the West District Plate
The day began with the West District Plate Final, as Kelburne 3rd XI faced Rottenrow in a competitive and entertaining encounter.
Rottenrow reached the final after overcoming rivals Strathclyde University 2nd XI 3–1 in the semi-finals, having previously defeated both Glasgow University 3rd XI and Greenock 2nd XI earlier in the competition.
Kelburne’s route to the final included victories over Dumfries and Hillhead 5th XI, before securing their place in the showpiece with a hard-fought 4–2 midweek win against Hillhead 6th XI.
The final itself proved to be a tense and closely fought contest. Both sides created chances and enjoyed periods of pressure, but it took time before the deadlock was finally broken.
Kelburne eventually struck first and continued to build momentum as the game progressed, adding a second goal to take control of the tie.
Rottenrow rolled the dice late on, removing their goalkeeper in search of a route back into the match, but Kelburne capitalised on the gamble to seal a deserved 3–0 victory and lift the Plate trophy.
An exciting final, quality hockey throughout and unpredictable weather combined to make it a memorable opening match to Finals Day.
Western Retain the George Black Trophy
Following the Plate final, attention turned to the George Black Trophy Final, featuring two familiar rivals in Clydesdale 3rd XI and Western 3rd XI — a repeat of last season’s final.
Western booked their place after a dramatic 9–6 semi-final victory, while Clydesdale overcame their own 4th XI to reach the final. Western had earlier survived a penalty flick shootout against Hillhead 4th XI in the quarter-finals, while Clydesdale defeated GHK.
The final itself lived up to expectations.
In a fiercely contested match packed with intensity, Clydesdale struck first to take the early lead. Western responded quickly through prolific forward Dougie Simpson, who produced a perfectly-timed sliding finish to level the scores.
Western then edged ahead through a calmly converted penalty flick before extending their lead to 3–1 as they began to take control.
But Clydesdale’s young side refused to back down and produced two excellent goals to haul themselves back into the contest at 3–3.
The drama continued when the Clydesdale goalkeeper produced an excellent save from another Western penalty flick, keeping the game finely balanced heading into the closing stages.
However, Western captain Barry Kane stepped up with the decisive moment, smashing an unstoppable effort into the top corner to restore Western’s advantage. A late fifth goal sealed the result as Western claimed a 5–3 victory and secured the George Black Trophy for the third consecutive season.
Another excellent Finals Day showcased the quality, competitiveness and spirit of hockey across the West District, bringing the outdoor season to a fitting conclusion. Thanks to the West District Umpires Association for providing the officials.
