2024–25 South Challenge Cup

2024–25 South Challenge Cup

SFA South Region Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Country	Scotland England (2 teams)
Dates	17 August 2024 – 30 March 2025
Teams	163
Defending champions	East Kilbride
Tournament statistics
Matches played	133
Goals scored	579 (4.35 per match)
All statistics correct as of 16 November 2024.

The 2024–25 SFA South Region Challenge Cup (known as the FinestCarMats.co.uk South Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons) is the 18th edition of the annual knockout cup competition for senior non-league football clubs in the central and southern regions of Scotland. For a third season in a row, the tournament entry is a joint record 163 teams.

The defending champions are four-time winners East Kilbride.

Format

The South Challenge Cup features 163 senior non-league clubs from the Lowland Football League (16), East of Scotland Football League (57), South of Scotland Football League (11), and West of Scotland Football League (79). The reserve teams of Stirling University and Stranraer, as well as Celtic B and Heart of Midlothian B, do not take part. Carluke Rovers are debarred due to a previous breach of rules.

In a change to previous seasons there is no regionalisation and it is an all-in draw from the first round. The draws are unseeded, with matches proceeding to extra time and penalties if they are tied after 90 minutes.

Calendar

Round	Main date	Fixtures	Clubs
First Round	17 August 2024	35	163 → 128
Second Round	14 September 2024	64	128 → 64
Third Round	12 October 2024	32	64 → 32
Fourth Round	16 November 2024	16	32 → 16
Fifth Round	21 December 2024	8	16 → 8
Quarter-Finals	1 February 2025	4	8 → 4
Semi-Finals	1 March 2025	2	4 → 2
Final	30 March 2025	1	2 → 1

First round

The first round draw was published on 11 July 2024.

Home team Score Away team 17 August 2024 Ardeer Thistle 0–4 Clydebank Ardrossan Winton Rovers 3–4 aet Broxburn Athletic Auchinleck Talbot 1–0 Hutchison Vale Benburb 2–0 Yoker Athletic Blantyre Victoria 2–2 aet (2–4 pen) Lochgelly Albert Broomhill 0–1 Thornton Hibs BSC Glasgow 4–3 aet St Peter's Burntisland Shipyard 1–6 Glenrothes Caledonian Locomotives 2–2 aet (5–4 pen) Lochmaben Cambuslang Rangers 2–3 Vale of Leven Creetown 2–1 Tynecastle Cumbernauld Colts 4–3 Linlithgow Rose Dalbeattie Star 1–2 Blackburn United Dundonald Bluebell 0–4 Troon Edinburgh Community 2–3 Newton Stewart Edinburgh South 2–3 Bellshill Athletic Fauldhouse United 0–8 Albion Rovers

Home team Score Away team Glasgow Perthshire 2–3 Drumchapel United Glasgow United 5–3 University of Stirling Greenock Juniors 3–1 Glenvale Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts 2–3 Lesmahagow Kilsyth Rangers 1–2 Hurlford United Kinnoull 1–2 Newburgh Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 2–0 Mid Annandale Lanark United 3–2 Whitburn Lochar Thistle 3–4 East Stirlingshire Luncarty 2–5 Kilbirnie Ladeside Maybole Juniors 0–1 Caledonian Braves Petershill 1–4 Darvel Pumpherston 0–5 Irvine Victoria Shotts Bon Accord 2–1 aet Rutherglen Glencairn St Andrews United w/o Gartcairn Vale of Clyde 5–1 aet Stoneyburn Whitehill Welfare 2–0 Kennoway Star Hearts Wishaw 0–0 aet (4–1 pen) Oakley United

Second Round

The second round draw was published on 11 July 2024. Remaining in the competition were 128 clubs, from the Lowland Football League (13), East of Scotland Football League (42), South of Scotland Football League (7), and West of Scotland Football League (66).

Home team Score Away team 14 September 2024 Abbey Vale 0–3 Dalkeith Thistle Albion Rovers 2–1 aet Dunipace Arniston Rangers 2–0 Cumbernauld Colts Arthurlie 3–0 Easterhouse FA Bathgate Thistle 0–1 Girvan Beith Juniors 4–1 Armadale Thistle Berwick Rangers 2–1 Heriot-Watt University Bo'ness Athletic 1–4 Auchinleck Talbot BSC Glasgow 0–5 Lesmahgow Campbeltown Pupils 0–6 Linton Hotspur Clydebank 7–1 Caledonian Locomotives Coldstream 0–1 Blackburn United Cumbernauld United 7–1 Tweedmouth Rangers Cumnock Juniors 3–1 Lanark United Darvel 3–2 aet Whitletts Victoria Drumchapel United 1–0 aet Johnstone Burgh Easthouses Lily 2–3 St Roch's East Kilbride 2–1 Tranent East Kilbride Thistle 1–5 Kilbirnie Ladeside Edinburgh College 4–1 Creetown Edinburgh United 1–3 Glasgow United Eglinton 5–0 Bonnyton Thistle Finnart 1–6 Pollok Gala Fairydean Rovers 4–2 Camelon Juniors Glenafton Athletic 0–2 Dalry Thistle Glenrothes 0–1 Forth Wanderers Greenock Juniors 2–0 Thorniewood United Gretna 2008 4–1 Newton Stewart Haddington Athletic 1–2 Kilsyth Athletic Harthill Royal 1–3 Knightswood Hill of Beath Hawthorn 3–0 Edinburgh University Hurlford United 3–1 Penicuik Athletic Jeanfield Swifts 4–1 Glasgow University

Home team Score Away team Kello Rovers 1–2 Sauchie Juniors Kilwinning Rangers 3–2 aet Muirkirk Juniors Largs Thistle 7–0 Bellshill Athletic Larkhall Thistle 4–0 Thornton Hibs Livingston United 0–3 Bo’ness United Lochore Welfare 2–1 Ashfield Lugar Boswell Thistle 6–1 Craigmark Burntonians Maryhill 3–1 Lochgelly Albert Neilston 4–3 Peebles Rovers Newburgh 2–3 Civil Service Strollers Newmains United 2–2 aet (7–6 pen) Leith Athletic Newtongrange Star 2–1 Hawick Royal Albert Nithsdale Wanderers 2–10 Broxburn Athletic Ormiston Primrose 1–4 Cowdenbeath Port Glasgow Juniors 4–3 West Park United Renfrew 8–0 St Cuthbert Wanderers Rossvale 0–2 Caledonian Braves Royal Albert 1–2 Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Saltcoats Victoria 0–2 Musselburgh Athletic Shotts Bon Accord 1–0 Giffnock SC St Cadoc's 7–0 Irvine Victoria Thorn Athletic 3–2 Crossgates Primrose Threave Rovers 4–2 Benburb Troon 1–0 Dunbar United Upper Annandale 1–2 aet St Andrews United Vale of Clyde 2–1 aet Wishaw Vale of Leithen 0–3 Preston Athletic Vale of Leven 4–4 aet (1–3 pen) Kirkcaldy & Dysart West Calder United 1–2 East Stirlingshire Whitehill Welfare 2–2 aet (10–9 pen) St Anthony's Wigtown & Bladnoch 0–10 Irvine Meadow XI

Third round

The third round draw was published on 26 September 2024. Remaining in the competition were 64 clubs, from the Lowland Football League (11), East of Scotland Football League (15), and West of Scotland Football League (38).

Home team Score Away team 11 October 2024 St Cadoc's 3–0 Cowdenbeath 12 October 2024 Auchinleck Talbot 3–0 Jeanfield Swifts Berwick Rangers 0–3 Threave Rovers Blackburn United 3–1 Knightswood Caledonian Braves 3–0 Arniston Rangers Clydebank 5–1 Dalkeith Thistle Cumbernauld United 8–0 Maryhill Cumnock Juniors 2–1 Lochore Welfare Dalry Thistle 0–3 Civil Service Strollers Edinburgh College 2–3 Arthurlie Eglinton 0–1 Bo'ness United Gala Fairydean Rovers 0–1 Irvine Meadow XI Glasgow United 6–5 aet Forth Wanderers Gretna 2008 3–1 Lesmahagow Juniors Kirktintilloch Rob Roy 2–1 Whitehill Welfare Larkhall Thistle 2–2 aet (5–4 pen) Beith Juniors Linton Hotspur 1–2 aet Hill of Beath Hawthorn

Home team Score Away team Lugar Boswell Thistle 2–4 Hurlford United Musselburgh Athletic 2–0 aet Kirkcaldy & Dysart Neilston 2–3 East Stirlingshire Newtongrange Star 0–3 Drumchapel United Pollok 3–3 aet (4–2 pen) Darvel Port Glasgow Juniors 4–6 Kilsyth Athletic Preston Athletic 3–2 Girvan Sauchie Juniors 0–2 Kilwinning Rangers St Andrews United 4–2 Kilbirnie Ladeside St Roch's 1–3 Troon Thorn Athletic 1–3 Broxburn Athletic Vale of Clyde 2–0 Renfrew 29 October 2024 East Kilbride 1–0 Largs Thistle 16 November 2024 Shotts Bon Accord 0–0 aet (5–3 pen) Albion Rovers 23 November 2024 Newmains United – Greenock Juniors

Fourth round

The fourth round draw was published on 17 October 2024. Remaining in the competition are 32 clubs, from the Lowland Football League (7), East of Scotland Football League (5), and West of Scotland Football League (20).

Home team Score Away team 16 November 2024 Auchinleck Talbot 1–0 Cumbernauld United Blackburn United 0–7 East Kilbride Bo’ness United 3–4 aet Musselburgh Athletic Broxburn Athletic 0–4 Clydebank Civil Service Strollers 3–1 Irvine Meadow XI Cumnock Juniors 1–1 aet (4–2 pen) Drumchapel United East Stirlingshire 0–3 Pollok Kilsyth Athletic 2–5 Glasgow United Kirkintilloch Rob Roy 5–2 Preston Athletic Larkhall Thistle 2–0 Threave Rovers St Andrews United 5–3 aet Hurlford United St Cadoc’s 2–3 Gretna 2008 Troon 1–2 Arthurlie Vale of Clyde 3–2 Caledonian Braves 23 November 2024 Shotts Bon Accord – Kilwinning Rangers TBC Hill of Beath Hawthorn – Newmains United or Greenock Juniors

Fifth round

The fourth round draw was published on 21 November 2024. Remaining in the competition are 16 clubs, from the Lowland Football League (3), East of Scotland Football League (2 or 3), and West of Scotland Football League (10 or 11).

Home team Score Away team 21 December 2024 Arthurlie – Clydebank Auchinleck Talbot – Larkhall Thistle Cumnock Juniors – St Andrews United Glasgow United – Kirkintilloch Rob Roy Pollok – East Kilbride Musselburgh Athletic – Vale of Clyde TBC Civil Service Strollers – Shotts Bon Accord or Kilwinning Rangers Gretna 2008 – Hill of Beath Hawthorn or Greenock Juniors or Newmains United