1st Team into BUCS Trophy Semi-Final

Last week the 1st team traveled down to Leeds to play their round of 16 fixture of the BUCS Trophy against Leeds Beckett 2nd Team. The game was very evenly contested and Edinburgh struggled in the first half where they found themselves 2-0 down momentarily, before coming back in great style to win 3-5. This meant they progressed to a quarter-final fixture against St Andrews this week.

Edinburgh started much better in their game against St Andrews and applied pressure from early on, with the first 5 minutes producing 3 corners for the home team. Two minutes later Edinburgh got their 4th corner and this time Margaux Durand-Watson was able to get a head to it at the near post, producing a great header that the keeper couldn't keep out. Five minutes later and St Andrews saw one of their players booked for a challenge on Courtney Macavoy in the midfield. In the 15th minute the same St Andrews player took Jane Marshall down with a bad foul and saw herself sent off with a second yellow, shortly after this Jane was subbed off due to injury from the previous foul. half an hour in and Edinburgh were still applying more of the pressure with St Andrews struggling to retain possession, and saw Beth Macleod break into the box only to shoot just wide. This was followed just before half-time by a good chance from Margaux again with the keeper unfortunately making a great save. Edinburgh went into the break just under an hour after they kicked off due to injuries and stoppages, with a 1-0 advantage and one more player than St Andrews.

Straight after the break Edinburgh continued to apply most of the pressure with Margaux again getting through on goal and the keeper again making a fantastic save to deny her. Five minutes later however Beth Macleod broke through to put the hosts 2-0 up with a fantastic placed finish. In the 69th minute Lily Chubb, the eventual Man of the Match, broke through with a fantastic strike that smashed off the post and came back out. Right after this Kirsty Maden then picked up the ball in right midfield, an unfamiliar position for her, took a good touch then curled a brilliant high ball right over the keeper and into the back of the net. This saw her score her first ever goal for the 1st team in one of her last games before she graduates in the summer. Lily Chubb then decided to upstage Kirsty on the left wing by taking a first-time left-footed shot which powered through into the back of the net to make the score 4-0. Beth Macleod then joined back in on the goalscoring party by breaking through the St Andrews defence once again and sealing a fantastic brace for herself and leaving the score at 5-0. Seconds before the final whistle Grete Wilson also found herself in space in the box and let off a fantastic volley which unfortunately smashed off the crossbar and came back to the feet of Courtney Macavoy who couldn't put it away.

The game finished 5-0 and with a brilliant second half, Edinburgh now progress to the semi-finals of the BUCS Trophy, further than anyone currently involved with the club has ever got. They will face Stirling 1st Team away in Stirling with a 2pm Kick off on Wednesday 1st March.