Stromness win 2016 Parish Cup

Stromness retained The Orcadian Parish Cup this evening as a Bruce Pinkerton own goal and a Ross Slater penalty sealed a 2-0 victory over Rendall.

For Rendall, it meant their first ever Parish Cup Final ended in disappointment and despair, while for Stromness, the celebrations of back-to-back Parish Cup’s will live long into the night.

Played at a dreich Pickaquoy, the match was punctuated by showers of rain, however that failed to dampen the enthusiasm and atmosphere around the pitch as Orkney witnessed the finale of the county’s most popular football competition.

A Bruce Pinkerton own goal put Stromness ahead after 25 minutes before Rendall’s Tim Ross struck the bar as Rendall enjoyed their best spell of the match.

With very little between the sides, it always looked likely that the match would be decided on the smallest of margins. Rendall were pushing hard for an equaliser, however the match swung dramatically in the favour of the champions on 85 minutes. Referee Stevie Linklater was left no choice as he produced a red card to Rendall captain Ian Pickles for denying a clear goal on the line with his hand, handing Stromness a penalty.

Ross Slater stepped up, and just as he did twelve months ago against Holm, kept his composure to roll the ball into the net to leave Stromness on the brink of their fourth Parish Cup success.

Rendall never gave up in the closing stages as the returning Robbie Balfour showed his class, while Steve Hellewell should have done better with a half-volley opportunity in the final minutes.

However, as the rain started to fall, Linklater blew time on the 82nd Parish Cup Final to start the Stromness party.