Scottish Amateur Cup: Tollcross Thistle celebrate after incredible Hampden fightback in epic final

After coming from 3-0 down to win on penalties, captain Stewart O’Neill held the trophy aloft at the top of the Hampden Park steps following an epic cup final against Drumchapel Amateurs. It finished 4-4 after extra time and culminated in a 3-2 penalty shootout victory, but that doesn’t even begin to tell the whole story.

The Capital club, only formed in 2005, looked dead and buried in the delayed 2019/20 competition final when they trailed 3-0 at half time, but their fight back at the national stadium was stunning. A penalty in the seventh minute of injury time made it 3-3 and took the game into extra time. They even went ahead in extra time before being pegged back. Goalkeeper Matt Baines was the shootout hero for Tollcross as he saved two penalties, with team-mates O’Neill, Scott Millar and Chris Cairns converting theirs.

A penalty shootout looked highly unlikely after a dominant opening 45 minutes from Drumchapel, who went into the half-time break with a 3-0 lead.

The Glasgow side had the better of the opening ten minutes as Tollcross started slowly, but they started to grow in confidence and began to pass the ball around with purpose. It was after Tollcross’ best chance from a Stewart Crozier free-kick on 23 minutes that Drumchapel took the lead a minute later from Jamie Ross’ audacious flick which made it past Baines.

Drumchapel’s Alan Kelly had signalled his capabilities minutes before doubling their lead with Baines scampering back to his line in time to tip over, but the keeper could do nothing to prevent the midfielder scoring from a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Tollcross looked down and out as Connor Higgins smashed in a third straight from kick-off as the tie looked all but over. However, the LEAFA