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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

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Scottish Women’s Football League

Bishopton and Edinburgh South have won their respective promotion play-offs to secure promotion to Barclays Scottish Women’s League One for the 2026-27 season.     

Both games took place at Ochilview stadium in Stenhousemuir, where beaten sides Huntly and Giffnock Soccer Centre will face each other next Sunday for the third promotion place into Scottish Women’s Football’s national leagues.

Bishopton were brimming with confidence going into the game, having beaten their opponent’s 10-1 last weekend in the ScottishPower Regional League Cup final, but it was Huntly who started the brighter, with Bishopton keeper Sophie Allison looking lively in the opening minutes to control her area. But Bishopton’s experience began to show against the youthful Huntly side, and Tasha Marshall used her strength and awareness to turn the defender and fire an opener after ten minutes. Lucy Marshall added a second just two minutes later when she connected with a clearance from a corner. Huntly rallied and enjoyed some possession, while Summer Simson in goals pulled off a cracking fingertip save to deny Tasha Marshall a second.

But they were hit on the counter attack just ahead of the break by Catriona McAllister’s pace, who scored to make it 3-0 at half time.

Huntly continued to press in the second half and refused to give Bishopton much time on the ball, which made a much more even contest in the second period, but Bishopton’s defence remained in control, limiting clear chances. Substitute Cheryl Watt added a fourth late on to confirm Bishopton’s promotion.

SWFL East winners Edinburgh South showed great desire to shut down Giffnock’s passing game, and Anna Hume’s combative determination up front netted her a quick brace on 16 and 19 minutes, leaving the SWFL South champions shell shocked.    

But Giffnock came out in the second half showing more glimpses of their technical ability and grew in possession, with Edinburgh South defending resolutely and relying on clever diagonal balls to carve out chances on the counter. One such delivery was provided on the hour-mark by Mischa Rennie, giving Jodie Sharp a gilt edged at the back post which she took. Then with Giffnock chasing the game substitute Emma Hume fired high into the net for a fourth, and in the dying moments skipped past Giffnock keeper Niamh Gorman to score a fifth and send the south fans delirious.

Bishopton and Edinburgh South become the eleventh and twelfth team to be promoted from the regional divisions into the national leagues in Scottish Women’s Football in just four years, as the Championship and League One grow in visibility and investment since being backed by Barclays.

Huntly and Giffnock will now play on Sunday for the thirteenth promotion, followed by the Barclays Scottish Women’s Championship play-off between Armadale Thistle and League One runners-up Dunipace for a place in Scotland’s third tier of women’s football.

 

By Tom Freeman

Photos by Sportpix:

Celebration time for Bishopton (top right) and Edinburgh South (above right)