This years William Taylor Cup Final saw a shock as Valspar FC recorded a 2-1 win over heavily fancied opponents, Bonnyton Thistle. The two sides had only met once before the final, in the league, with Thistle running away 5-1 winners over their cup final opponents.

Thistle were also 2nd in the table in comparison to Valspar who sat in 4th.

Thistle kicked off the 2 O' clock match at a sunny Dam Park, shooting right to left. The first 15 minutes of the match was a tight affair, with both sides getting a feel of each other and the pitch.

It took until the 19th minutes for the first real chance of the game to occur. Graham Anderson picking up the ball in midfield and taking a speculative effort from 40 yards which just went over the top of the bar.

Thistle then replied with a chance of their own a minute later, with Ciaran Perry cutting in on the left wing and delivering a dangerous ball to Jamie Mackay. However, the number 10 was unable to reach the ball and the attack fizzled out.

Another chance came to Valspar in the 22nd minute, with the ball falling to Fraser Dempsey on the edge of the box. However, the striker could only hit the shot over the bar as the game remained 0-0.

The quality of the two defences was the one of the main reasons the game stayed goalless. More specifically, the quality of the two opposing centre back’s Thistle’s Stuart Lindsay and Valspar’s Ryan McCrone especially, both of which made key tackles and blocks throughout the half.

The last action of the half, 45+ 2, saw a Valspar free-kick come through a sea of bodies and hit the bar but Thistle managed to clear and the first half ended 0-0.

The second half begun with Valspar kicking off, however they were quickly on the back foot with Thistle dominating the possession and being put under no real pressure from Valspar.

This possession paid off as Bonnyton Thistle earned a free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box in the 56th minute, after Thomas Dunlop fouled Perry.

The free-kick was taken by Jackson Sivewright who whipped in a beautiful cross to Ryan Higgins and he used the power on the free kick to glance the ball into the top left hand corner. Higgins was mauled by his team mates as Thistle finally broke the deadlock in the 57th minute.

Going behind seemed to shock Valspar into action, as they started to press Thistle high up the pitch. They nearly broke through in the 63rd minute with Miguel McIntosh delivering a cross from the left wing towards Declan Hughes, however he couldn’t connect.

Thistle looked comfortable soaking up the Valspar pressure and were looking to try and hit Valspar on the break. Despite this, their resistance was broken in the 65th minute with McCrone rising highest to head home a ball into the box.

Valspar continued to press after the equaliser and in the 81st minute a long throw on the right wing from Fraser McMillan found Graham Anderson in the box, who nodded past Taylor Davidson to put Valspar into the lead. After going ahead Valspar continued to dominate the last 10 minutes, with McMillan nearly getting a double in the 88th minute with another header, only for Davidson to tip over the bar.

Thistle were frustrated by the Valspar pressure with tempers boiling over in the closing minutes with Liam Russell being sent off for a two footed challenge in 90+2’.

Despite this, Valspar held on and won the cup in style coming back from a goal down, against a Thistle team that were favourites to win the game.