Steins Thistle secure Scottish Amateur Cup after historic final win against FC Pather (2025)

Steins Thistle secure historic Only Sport Scottish Amateur Cup success after 3-1 final win over FC Pather at Hampden Park.

Steins Thistle’s stunning season hit new heights on Thursday night at Hampden Park as they lifted the Only Sport Scottish Amateur Cup trophy for the first time.

Kevin Valentine’s history-makers defeated fellow Scottish Premier AFA outfit FC Pather 3-1 at the national stadium - with the Allandale amateurs having now sealed a coveted spot in next season’s Scottish Cup proper as a result of their triumph.

Steins right wrongs of 2023 cup final defeat

Steins - who top the Hills Solicitors Premiership table and have already secured the East of Scotland Amateur Cup - set off to Glasgow’s southside with the aim of righting the wrongs of their 2023 final defeat to Cupar Hearts, and they got off the perfect start, opening the scoring after just two minutes.

Star striker Stephen Donaghy showed his quality, starting and finishing off a fabulous move. He brought down Thomas Elvin’s goal kick and fed the ball to team-mate Kyle Allison. The midfielder then found Michael Wallace out wide, and his pinpoint cross was headed home by the forward.

However, Steins’ lead only lasted five minutes. And the equaliser was preventable. Scott Watson lunged in on Dylan Falconer and handed the Wishaw hopefuls a free-kick 35-yards from goal. Lee Dixon stepped up and curled home an unstoppable effort - right up there with some of the best goals to grace the national stadium. It was a cracker.

In an end-to-end cup final, Donaghy was once again the difference maker for Steins. After 17 minutes, he took down Louis MacPherson’s perfect lofted pass and won his side a penalty kick after being wiped out by Garry Fleming. Midfielder Allison was the man who swiftly collected the ball and he kept his cool from the spot, sending goalkeeper Matthew Craig the wrong way to make it 2-1.

Pather should have levelled things up ten minutes later when Elvin misjudged a long ball, but somehow Kyle Imrie failed to pass to his striker Jason Thomson - who would have had an open goal to roll the ball home.

Steins show mettle in strong second half showing

In the second half, Steins started on top again. Centre-back Dean Mason sent a near-post effort just wide after great work by Allison as Valentine’s side looked to kill of any chance of a comeback. And they got the all-important third goal after 53 minutes with Allison once again instrumental.

He won a crunching challenge in the middle of the park and drove forward, eventually playing the ball out to Dylan Cafferty who sent in an early cross to deadly Donaghy. After chesting down the ball, he swivelled and volleyed home with aplomb.

Steins showed steel afterwards to largely control the remainder of the second half, with a couple of missed chances thrown in for good measure. They comfortably saw off Pather in the end to secure the Only Sport Scottish Amateur Cup trophy and continue their season of dreams.

FC Pather 1-3 Steins Thistle: Line-ups

Steins Thistle: Elvin, MacPherson, Brannan (C), Manson, McGown, Watson, Wallace, Allison (17’), McCafferty, Deluca, Donaghy (2’ 53’).

Subs: Gray, Crawford, Chisholm, Harrison, Miller, Valentine, Armstrong.

FC Pather: Craig, Scott, Paris, Fleming, Dixon (7’), Hadden, Brown, Thomson, Falconer, Irmie, Gibbons.

Subs: McCormick, Bulloch, Ross, Wood, Archer, McGuigan, Binnie.

Referee: Iain Wilson.

Falkirk Herald player of the match: Stephen Donaghy.