Scone thistle 2010s

This one deserves some appreciation, not an easy one to take from the halfway line….. even better than Kenny McLeans 😉
Well taken Ethan, you will remember that one for a wee while 👏👏

Scone Thistle 2010s played their final game of the season at home this past weekend against league leaders and unbeaten Thornton Hibs.

Going into the match, we knew Thornton had three games remaining and needed at least four points to secure the title. Ideally, we would have preferred to face them as their final fixture—perhaps when the intensity had dipped and they were still shaking off a title winning “celebration”—but regardless, the squad embraced the challenge.

With third place already secured, the objectives were straightforward: deliver a strong performance, build momentum ahead of the upcoming cup final against Kelty Hearts, and, ideally, come through unscathed. That said, there was also a slightly more ambitious goal in the background—what better way to end the league season than by upsetting the soon to be champions?

The game kicked off at the Glebe on a glorious Thursday evening, and as expected, Thornton came flying out the traps. Their approach was identical to our away defeat a few weeks earlier: hit it long, hit it early, and keep hitting it. If there was even a hint of space behind our back line, they were determined to find it. We knew it was coming. We spoke about it. We prepared for it. And then… we still had to deal with it. To our credit, we did just that or at least for the most part.

The first half became a real end to end contest, with both sides pushing for the opening goal. Chances came and went, tackles flew in, and despite the pace and intensity, neither side could find the breakthrough. The teams went in level at half time, with plenty still to play for.

The second half picked up right where the first had left off, stretched and competitive. Then came the breakthrough.Captain Andy switched play superbly from midfield into the right channel, where Nischal picked it up and delivered a dangerous ball into the box. Finlay, timing his run to perfection—as he has done all season—met it on the volley and fired it into the net.



1–0 Scone. A perfect start to the second half.



Unfortunately, that perfect start didn’t last long. While celebrations were still ongoing, Thornton were straight back on the front foot. With a title within touching distance, they were never going to sit back. Within five minutes, another long ball over the top caused problems, with their striker getting on the end of it near the edge of the six yard box.

Under pressure from two defenders and with the keeper out of position, Jamie stepped in and made what looked like an excellent, well timed challenge, winning the ball and clearing the immediate danger. However, in the process, the striker went to ground. Penalty!

It was one of those decisions where everyone in a Scone shirt was convinced it was a clean tackle, while everyone else saw it slightly differently. Whether it was the angle, the moment, or simply the referee wanting to play his part, the decision stood. Thornton made no mistake from the spot, firing into the bottom corner to make it 1–1.

As the clock ticked down, Thornton stuck firmly to their approach, repeatedly bypassing midfield and sending long balls into space behind the defence. It was predictable, but effective and it is exactly what they do well. Eventually, it paid off. Another high ball forward was flicked on into the path of their striker. The keeper came rushing out to close him down, but the striker reacted first, tapping it past him before it rolled into the net. 2–1 to Thornton.

With around ten minutes remaining, Thornton put the game beyond doubt. A cross into the box wasn’t properly dealt with, slipping through the keeper’s hands, rebounding off Finlay’s head, then his shoulder, before somehow ending up in the back of the net. A real scramble of a goal and avoidable goal, but it was enough to make it 3–1 and seal the result.

Thornton have since gone on to secure the title with a game to spare. Remaining unbeaten all season is no small achievement, and full credit goes to them. We wish them every success in the first division next season.

As for Scone, it has been a season of ups and downs, but one to be proud of overall. There have been impressive wins, tough lessons, and a few games where we perhaps defied expectations, both positively and otherwise. There is still one final chapter to be written: the cup final against Kelty Hearts. Neither side has managed to beat, or even score against the other this season, so it promises to be a tight contest. Everything is on the line, and both teams will be fully focused on finishing their season on a high.



Hopefully, the final report of the season is a triumphant one.

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Scone Thistle 2010s was on the road this past weekend for the return fixture against Raith Rovers Colts. Having faced the same opposition just three weeks earlier and suffered a 4–2 defeat, Scone approached the match knowing they had a significant challenge ahead, particularly with third place still within reach.



Before turning to that fixture, it is important to acknowledge the result from the previous week. Due to other commitments, we were unable to issue a report following the match against Rothes Juniors. In our earlier home report, we noted that the 3–1 victory did not reflect the balance of play. Rothes Juniors arrived intent on competing, and despite being bottom of the league at the time, they proved far from easy opponents.

The return fixture away to Rothes was a difficult outing for Scone, who were deservedly beaten 4–1. While neither side fully dominated proceedings, Rothes were clinical in key moments and took their chances well. Scone found themselves three goals down at the break. The opening goal came after 20 minutes, following a well-executed through ball and perfectly timed run. Angus did well to make the initial save, but the rebound fell favourably for Rothes, who converted to make it 1–0.

Ten minutes later, Rothes doubled their lead through a somewhat fortuitous, yet impressive, effort. A move down the channel resulted in a cross from distance that appeared to be drifting out of play, only for it to curl back in off the post without a touch. While likely unintended as a shot, it summed up a difficult spell for Scone and made it 2–0.

Shortly after, Rothes extended their lead further. A cross into the box was headed clear by Jamie, but only as far as the edge of the area, where it was struck first time into the net to make it 3–0 going into half time.

Scone responded positively after the break and pulled a goal back 10 minutes into the second half through good link-up play between Nischal and Ethan. Ethan’s initial effort was blocked, but Torren reacted quickest to volley home the rebound, reducing the deficit to 3–1.

Despite sustained pressure for the remainder of the match, Scone were unable to find a second goal to close the gap. In the closing seconds, Rothes added a fourth from a corner, sealing a 4–1 victory which was well deserved on the balance of play.

Since that result, Rothes Juniors have continued their improvement, recording further wins to move off the bottom of the table and into 10th position. They now appear to have established a solid foundation to build upon heading into next season, and we look forward to facing them again.

Motm - Jimmy and Torren 👏



The result left Scone with no margin for error, knowing that a victory against Raith Rovers Colts was essential to secure third place. Following the previous encounter, in which Scone conceded three penalties (two of which were converted), the team anticipated a challenging fixture.

However, with that experience fresh in mind, Scone delivered a composed and dominant performance, securing a 2–0 win. In the absence of recognised strikers Euan G, Lewis and Daniel, Coach Shiels reshaped the side, deploying Nischal and Ethan in advanced positions while moving Torren out wide. The changes proved effective, with Scone controlling the game across all areas of the pitch, from defence through to attack.

The opening goal came in the first half and was a notable moment for Quinton, who had conceded two penalties in the reverse fixture. Meeting a well-delivered corner from Nischal, he guided his header in at the back post to give Scone a deserved 1–0 lead.

Despite their control, Scone remained aware of Raith’s attacking threat and entered the second half both confident and cautious. Early in the half, Raith came close to equalising, but a crucial last-ditch intervention from Quinton preserved the advantage, although he was unfortunately forced off with injury following the challenge.

With 15 minutes remaining, Scone secured the decisive second goal. Continuing to be a key creative influence, Nischal delivered another excellent corner, which Finlay met with a firm header to extend the lead to 2–0. Finlay’s recent contributions since moving outfield have been increasingly impactful, and this goal further underlined his influence.

With two fixtures remaining, Raith still has an opportunity to move into fourth place, although this would require a result against an unbeaten Thornton Hibs side and this is a task that has proven beyond all teams so far this season. We wish them all the best for the remainder of the season and look forward to playing them next season.

Motm - team effort 👏

Scone, meanwhile, welcome Thornton Hibs to the Glebe this Thursday, with a 6:45pm kick-off in our last league game of the season. Thornton requires at least a draw from their remaining two matches to secure the title, and given their perfect record to date, they will undoubtedly be aiming to finish the season unbeaten and winning every game, but we welcome the challenge.

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