Central Girls FA recovered from a slow start to win the Under 15’s SWF West Region League Cup final, beating Glasgow City 5-2 in a pulsating encounter at Toryglen.  

A crazy opening six minutes which saw three goals set the tone for an open, entertaining and action-packed final in which both sides showcased some fine football. 

Glasgow City made the perfect start, taking the lead almost immediately from kick-off. They worked their way intricately down the left flank and when they were into the final third, Chloe Muir sent a stunning cross across the face of goal which found Leah Robinson at the back post who prodded the ball home from an acute angle with barely a minute on the clock.

They were causing havoc again moments later when Muir delivered another dangerous cross but it was dealt with. Central Girls then had an attack of their own when Megan Gallagher fired over from the edge of the box. Soon after the game was level; some excellent link-up play involving Kirstie McIntosh and Morgan Cross resulted in Chelsea McEachran using her pace to get on the end of a through-ball and with only the keeper to beat she coolly slotted the ball beyond the reach of Sophie Allison.  

The goal should have settled the match down but it continued to flow from end to end. Glasgow attacked again with Muir involved once more, her cross was not cleared convincingly and the ball fell kindly to Robinson whose drive was cleverly diverted into the bottom corner by Aimee Headland to restore their advantage.

Central continued to press and had the better of the rest of the first half, showing more control and patience while also carving out some opportunities. Cross headed just wide from a corner and McIntosh tried her luck from distance but Allison was equal to the effort. Their best chance fell to Kim McAlpine, who managed to get on the end of a McIntosh cut-back but Allison denied her with a point-blank stop. The half ended with Central Girls pressurising more but they could not find an equaliser before the interval.  

That did not matter much though as they restored parity within a few minutes of the restart in excellent fashion with McAlpine's rasping attempt from 20 yards flashing past Allison into the bottom corner. The goal was deserved and Central went on to use the momentum very well causing many problems for Glasgow who found it difficult to make their way up the pitch and ease the pressure on their goal.

Central's movement, pace and ball circulation was impressive but the game's decisive goal came from a set piece. A corner delivered low was met by Cross who showed tremendous technique to send a superb side-footed volley which curled into the top corner of the far post - a goal apt for the occasion.

It was all one-way traffic at this stage and the match could have been wrapped up sooner if it was not for Allison in the Glasgow goal. Gallagher found space in the box and sent a strike on target from 15 yards but Allison produced a brilliant save, a scramble ensued but Glasgow managed to clear their lines.

There was nothing the keeper could do about the next goal however. Again, Central used the ball well and found McIntosh who went on a strong run before laying the ball across goal for Ellie Kane who tapped home to make it 4-2.

Kane was in the right place at the right time again not long after, reacting quickest to some hesitancy in the Glasgow defence before powerfully arrowing the ball into the roof of the net to complete her brace and the scoring.

Glasgow made forays up the pitch late on but could not muster anything to trouble Claire Whitaker while Allison was still being kept busy denying Kane a hat-trick and producing the save of the match, keeping out Jade Lockie's close-range attempt with a fine one-handed reflex stop.