HotScots 2, London Falcons 1
(3-3 on aggregate)
HotScots won 4-2 on penalties

EDINBURGH, April 14, 2008  –  Any football encounter between and English and a Scottish team, no matter at what level, is more that “just a game”.  It’s serious business between the “Old Enemy” or “Auld Enemy”, depending on which side of Hadrian’s Wall you are from.

And so it was the Scots who claimed the spoils after the second leg of the very first encounter of gay football clubs from both countries.

After a 2-1 defeat in London, the Scots were determined to avenge.  But it took a penalty shootout for HotScots to claim their first piece of silverware after only a couple of months since their first 11-a-side game.

The match, at Peffermill playing fields, was played at a good pace and first blood was drawn by the Falcons when Conor Simpson, the holding midfielder found himself on the edge of the eighteen yard box with a bit of room and let rip with his left foot and found the back of the net.  An excellent start and just what the home team needed – a 1-0 lead after just three minutes.

This spurred on the Falcons who responded well.  And seven minutes later after a spirited attacking move Tony “Chav” finished well having sprung the offside trap before levelling the score.

Craig Anderson, the big HotScots striker had a couple of chances in the box and was unlucky not to finish – the Falcons keeper making some good saves.  JP Clarke, who was finding plenty of space on the right wing, was whipping some dangerous crosses into the danger areas.

With some spirited tackling in the centre of the park, the referee did well to keep things in check but in such an important game it was good to see that there was genuine desire from each team to lift the silverware.

On the half an hour, the Hotscots left back, Nik Dickson made a brilliant run into the box, beating a couple of players in the process, and rifled the ball low into the bottom right corner for a home 3-1 lead at half-time.

All square on aggregate, the second half promised to be a cracker – a survival of the fittest.

But play was much more open with few chances created by either side as the players began to tire.

Probably the best chance of the half came to the Hotscots when Stuart took a free kick from just outside the box and floated it beautifully over to Alan Rogers, the Hotscots winger who volleyed it just wide – a fine effort all the same.

Richard Cowell and Ian Kehoe, the Falcons captain who both played magnificently both had some good chances, but with no substitutes to call upon were suffering from cramp towards the end.

The only booking of the game was handed out to the Hotscots captain after a series of tough tackles, but generally speaking the game was played in good spirit.

With the full 90 minutes up the game was tied at 3-3 on aggregate and so the game was to be decided by penalties, with Luke from the Falcons slotting home confidently the first penalty.

All remaining takers scored and then Falcons’ Simon Patton, man of the match, cruelly had his effort saved by HotScots stand-in goalie, JP. This unsettled Ian Kehoe who then ballooned his effort over the bar. That was it – victory, and the Cup, for the Hotscots.

“We were just magnificent today,” said a jubilant HotScots’ chairman, Kevin Rowe.  “I’m so proud of the lads who worked so hard to grind out a result in the away leg and then produced an amazing performance against the English gay league leaders.

“In just 15 months we have picked up our first silverware. This is a perfect result for us in preparation for the World Cup in London in August. I’m absolutely delighted.”

Formed in February 2007, HotScots played 5-a-side football for a year.

JP Clarke, the Hotscots manager was equally pleased.  “We wanted to win the midfield battle which was crucial in order to get the right result today,” he said.

“All of the players gave 110 per cent and I’d like to thank all of the squad for showing up and giving us fantastic support from the sidelines. They were our twelfth man.”

Both teams were hosted by the Bluemoon Café for the presentation of the Fitlads Cup and the medals after the match.

Hotscots FC Squad:  Ross; Kevin Rowe; Stuart Sutherland; Michel Quinou; Nick Sickson; JP Clarke; Alan Rogers; Stewart Fraser; Paul; Conor Simpson; Craig Anderson.  Subs: Richard Amos; David Moloney; Seamus Kealey; Stevie Blythe; Stevie Gray; James Beveridge; Darren Girdwood.  Penalty Takers:  Paul; JP Clarke; Conor Simpson; Stuart Sutherland.

Falcons: Penalty Takers:  Luke Tuffs; Richard Cowell; Simon Patton; Tony “Chav”; Ian Kehoe.

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Posted: 14 April 2008 at 17:00 (UK time)