2012 Scottish Challenge Cup final

August 2013 June 2024 2012 Scottish Challenge Cup final 2011–12 Scottish Challenge Cup Falkirk 1 Hamilton Academical 0 1 April 2012 Almondvale Stadium Livingston Brian Winter 5,210 2011 2013 The 2012 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the Ramsdens Cup final for sponsorship reasons, was an association football match between Falkirk and Hamilton Academical on 1 April 2012 at Almondvale Stadium in Livingston. It was the 21st final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League. Both teams progressed through four knock-out rounds to reach the final. The match was Falkirk's fourth appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup Final with the club defending an unbeaten record in the final having won on three previous occasions, the most recent in 2004. It was also Hamilton's fourth appearance, the club winning twice in successive years in the early-1990s and losing in 2005. The tournament was contested by clubs below the Scottish Premier League with both clubs from the First Division. The match was watched by 5,210 spectators as well as being broadcast live on BBC Alba.Ramsdens Cup final to be broadcast live on BBC Alba, BBC Sport. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012. An early goal from Darren Dods in the 2nd minute was enough for Falkirk to win the match 1–0. In doing so Falkirk became the first club to win the tournament for a fourth time.https://archive.today/20130419212247/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/mobile/football/17558271 Falkirk 1-0 Hamilton Accies, BBC Sport. 2012-04-01. Retrieved 2012-04-04. Route to the final 2011–12 Scottish Challenge Cup The competition is a knock-out tournament and in 2011–12 was contested by 32 teams: the 30 clubs that played in the First, Second and Third Divisions of the Scottish Football League and two Highland Football League clubs by invitation. For the first round only, the draw was divided into two geographical regions made up of 16 clubs – north/east and south/west. Teams were paired at random and the winner of each match progressed to the next round and the loser was eliminated. Falkirk Round Opposition Score First round Brechin City (a) 2–1 Second round Dundee (h) 1–0 Quarter-final East Fife (a) 4–1 Semi-final Annan Athletic (a) 3–0 Falkirk were placed in the north/east region for the first round and were drawn against Second Division side Brechin City away from home. All of the goals came in the first half but Darren Dods's debut goal in the 33rd minute proved to be the decider in the 2–1 win at Glebe Park."Brechin City 1-2 Falkirk", BBC Sport. 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2011-10-13. In the second round Falkirk faced fellow First Division side Dundee at the Falkirk Stadium. The only goal of the game came from Moroccan, Farid El Alagui in the 43rd minute and was enough to send Falkirk through to the quarter-final stage."Falkirk 1 – 0 Dundee : Tuesday, 9th August 2011" https://web.archive.org/web/20130625185750/http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/football/challenge-cup/results/3434879/ 25 June 2013 , Scottish Football League. 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2011-10-13.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14459144 Falkirk 1-0 Dundee BBC Sport 2011-08-09 2011-10-18 The reward for reaching the quarter-final stage was an away game against East Fife of the Second Division. The Methil based club took the lead on the 27th minute courtesy of a right-foot curler from Ryan Wallace."East Fife 1 – 4 Falkirk : Sunday, 4th September 2011" https://web.archive.org/web/20111123224119/http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/football/challenge-cup/results/3441889/ 23 November 2011 , Scottish Football League. 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2011-10-13. However, two goals in quick succession from Kallum Higginbotham and Craig Sibbald to make the score 3–1 was enough to overcome East Fife, with Higginbotham sealing the scoreline at 4–1 on the 87th minute in the match at Bayview Stadium."East Fife 1-4 Falkirk", BBC Sport. 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2011-10-13. The semi-final draw paired Falkirk with high flying Annan Athletic of the Third Division. Annan Athletic had played 12 games and won 10 in all competitions leading up to the semi-final tie and had knocked out First Division club Ayr United in the previous round. However, three first half goals, one from Mark Millar and two from Farid El Alagui"Annan Athletic 0-3 Falkirk", BBC Sport. 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-10-13. saw off Annan Athletic in front of a record official attendance of 1,575 at Galabank."Annan Athletic 0 – 3 Falkirk" https://web.archive.org/web/20111004145938/http://www.annanathleticfc.com/matchdetails.asp?mid=518 4 October 2011 , Annan Athletic F.C.. 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-10-13."Record day at Annan", Scottish Football League. 2011-10-12. Retrieved 2011-10-13. Hamilton Academical Round Opposition Score First round Queen's Park (a) 2–0 Second round Partick Thistle (h) 1–0 Quarter-final Greenock Morton (h) 2–1 Semi-final Livingston (h) 1–0 Hamilton Academical competed in the south/west region for the first round and faced Third Division side Queen's Park at Hampden Park. Two debutant senior goals from Ali Crawford and David Hopkirk in the 72nd and 80th minutes respectively ensured a 2–0 victoryhttp://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1516:queens-park-v-accies-news&catid=44:news&Itemid=140 Queens Park 0 Accies 2 Hamilton Academical F.C. 2011-07-23 2011-10-18 https://web.archive.org/web/20120615061407/http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1516:queens-park-v-accies-news&catid=44:news&Itemid=140 15 June 2012 dead for Accies and a clean sheet to progress to the second round. The opponents drawn were Partick Thistle of the First Division. A late penalty goal from Irishman James Chambers in the 86th minute at New Douglas Park was enough to book a place in the quarter-final stage.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14459146 Hamilton 1-0 Partick Thistle BBC Sport 2011-08-09 2011-10-18 The quarter-final draw paired Hamilton Academical with another First Division side, Greenock Morton, whom Accies defeated in the 1992 final. Despite Greenock Morton taking the lead in the 10th minute from a Paul Di Giacomo goal, Hamilton scored two other first half goals from Greig Spence and Simon Mensing to win 2–1 at New Douglas Park to progress to the semi-final stage.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14770055 Hamilton Accies 2-1 Morton BBC Sport 2011-09-04 2011-10-18 A third club from the First Division provided the opposition for Hamilton in the semi-final in the form of Livingston. A late first half goal in the 43rd minute from Mark McLaughlin was enough to knock out the West Lothian side in front of a crowd of 1,418 and progress to their fourth Scottish Challenge Cup final in the club's history.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/15222377 Hamilton Academical 1-0 Livingston BBC Sport 2011-10-09 2011-10-18 Pre-match thumb|right|200px|Almondvale Stadium hosted the final. Venue The 2012 final marked the first time the event was hosted at Almondvale Stadium in Livingston, the home of Livingston F.C.http://www.livingstonfc.co.uk/news/news_20111020_1.php Livingston Host Ramsdens Cup Final Livingston F.C. 20 October 2011 20 October 2011 The venue opened in 1995 and at the time of the final was officially known as the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium after its sponsor. Seating arrangements for spectators in the stadium were segregated with Falkirk supporters occupying the East Stand and parts of the North and South Stands whilst Hamilton fans were allocated tickets for the West (Main) Stand.Ramsdens Cup Final Ticket Info, spfl.co.uk. Scottish Professional Football League. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2013. Falkirk travelled around 20 mi km 1Directions from Falkirk Football Club to Almondvale Stadium, bing.com. Bing Maps. Retrieved 19 August 2013. to the venue and Hamilton Academical travelled approximately 30 mi km 1.Directions from Hamilton Academical Football Club to Almondvale Stadium, bing.com. Bing Maps. Retrieved 19 August 2013. Analysis With the inclusion of two Highland League clubs for the first time, this brought the number of teams competing up to 32 which meant that there was no random bye for any club into the second round so both Falkirk and Hamilton entered the first round. Falkirk eliminated three lower league clubs en route to the final whilst Hamilton eliminated only one; defeating three First Division teams before the final. Both teams appeared in the final for the fourth time. Falkirk had won the tournament on their three previous final appearances in 1993, 1997 and 2004, whereas Hamilton Academical had won the tournament twice in successive years in 1991 and 1992 and came runner-up in 2005. Match Details 1 April 2012 16:05 BST Falkirk 1–0 Report Hamilton Academical Dods 2 Almondvale Stadium, Livingston Brian Winter 5,210Falkirk 1 – 0 Hamilton Academical : Sunday, 1 April 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120923172940/http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/football/challenge-cup/results/3487499/ 23 September 2012 , Scottish Football League. Retrieved 4 April 2012. _falkirk1011h _redtop 000040 000040 000040 000040 000040 Falkirk _red_hoops _whitehoops _red_hoops FFFFFF FF0000 FFFFFF FFFFFF FFFFFF Hamilton Academical GK1NIR Michael McGovernDF2SCO Kieran DuffieDF3SCO Tam ScobbieDF4SCO Darren Dods (c)DF5SCO Murray WallaceMF6SCO Jay Fulton 36MF7SCO Craig Sibbald 86MF8SCO Mark MillarFW9MAR Farid El AlaguiMF10SCO Willie GibsonMF11SCO David WeatherstonSubstitutes:DF12ENG Rhys BennettDF14SCO Stephen KingsleyMF15SCO Blair Alston 86FW16SCO Jordan WhiteGK17SCO Graham BowmanManager:SCO Steven Pressley GK1SCO David HuttonDF2ENG Simon MensingDF3SCO Mark McLaughlin 71DF4SCO Lee KildayMF5ENG Jon RoutledgeMF6ENG Daniel RedmondMF7SCO Alex Neil (c) 43MF8SCO Jim McAlisterMF9SCO Jordan Kirkpatrick 45FW10SCO Mark Stewart 45FW11SCO Jon McShaneSubstitutes:GK12SCO Blair CurrieDF13SCO Stephen Hendrie 45DF14SCO Grant GillespieFW15SCO Greig Spence 45FW16SCO Andy Ryan 71Manager:SCO Billy Reid OfficialsFalkirk vs. Hamilton Academical 1 – 0, soccerway.com. Retrieved 2012-03-04. Referee: Brian Winter Assistant Referee 1: David Watt Assistant Referee 2: Stuart HodgeMatch rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Five named substitutes. Maximum of three substitutions. Statistics + Match statisticshttps://archive.today/20130419105955/http://www.acciesfc.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1826:falkirk-1-accies-0&catid=44:news&Itemid=140 Falkirk 1 Accies 0, Hamilton Academical F.C. Retrieved 2012-04-07. Falkirk HamiltonGoals scored 1 0Total shots 6 8Shots on target 3 5Ball possession Corner kicks 5 2Fouls committed 11 13Offside 2 5Yellow cards 1 1Red cards 0 0 References 2012 3 Category:Falkirk F.C. matches Category:Hamilton Academical F.C. matches Final Category:April 2012 sports events in the United Kingdom Category:Football in West Lothian Category:Livingston, West Lothian