The University of Stirling men’s football team weathered miserable conditions at Meadowbank to win the East of Scotland Cup against League 1 Edinburgh City.

Under the lights and in front of a packed-out crowd, it was James Stokes who scored the all-important goal, to win the Uni’s second bit of silverware this season.

A delighted head coach Chris Geddes could not wipe the grin off his face after his team braved the elements in Edinburgh.

He said: “So over the moon for the players first and foremost. Game 61 of the season I think it was. Some of them have started 55/56 games to play an opposition, yeah full of young lads, but a team that play in a higher league than us every week.

“Our boys deserve it. We’ll take this back to the Uni; the first time a Uni has ever won this. So yeah, really happy for them.”

Goal scorer James Stokes said: “It was brilliant. Good result. Good to get a bit of silverware as well. First cup win this season, obviously, we won BUCS, and we have another cup final to look forward to next week as well.”

Both teams came out fighting in the blistering conditions, but it was Stirling who looked stronger in the early stages.

After receiving a great ball out wide from Ciaran McAninch, James Stokes beat 3 defenders on his way into the box, before striking low into the keeper’s hands.

Cameron McKinley would rattle his first chance against the bar for the Uni, while on the other end, Momodou Sambou misjudged a guilt edge opportunity, much to Yan Gromov-Godik’s delight in the Stirling goal.

Gromov-Godik would have more work to do late in the first though, making a fantastic reflex save from a corner.

While Stirling were clearly the better side in the first half, it was City who looked the more likely in the second.

Sambou was denied again, this time by a fantastic goal-line block, after rounding Gromov-Godik. Hibernian loanee Malek Zaid took on the follow-up but was shut down by the Uni keeper who recovered well.

On the hour mark it was City again on the front foot and through on goal. In transition, Stirling were short at the back. Sambou found Findlay Marshall, who failed to convert past the onrushing Uni keeper.

Quite rumblings of frustration rung out from the City faithful as chances came and went.  

Then, ten minutes later against the run of play, James Stokes had found the net after a whipped set piece found him in the box. He instinctively volleyed it past the keeper and capped off the goal with a glorious knee slide celebration.

City, more motivated than ever continued to pry, now desperately needing a goal. Callum Wilson would hit the upright after rifling a free kick toward the goal before Gromov-Godik came out big again a couple of minutes later, saving another one-on-one against Marshall.

A late red card for Liam Parker made a comeback that much more difficult for the home side. The city defender got his second yellow after arguing with the referee.

Ben Heal almost doubled Uni’s lead late on after embarking on a Messi-like run from the center circle past defenders all the way to the goal, before hitting the ball onto the post.

With time running out, one last heave into the box by City was caroled safely into the hands of man of the match Gromov-Godik. The final whistle sounded, to the cheer of the Uni fans.

Another bit of silverware added to a trophy cabinet that has been growing over the last couple of years. A real sign of the fantastic work done on the University’s football programme said Geddes.

“It’s a great experience for the last couple of years because we’ve been played four SPFL sides, and we beat three of them.”

“To play four teams (from the SPFL) in a season when back in the past it was maybe one game a season we got against them, maybe in the Scottish cup or that, shows how far the programme has come. Shows the quality of all the players we’ve got coming in.”

University of Stirling: Gromov-Godik, Lavery, Service, Aslanoglu, Russell (Docherty 69), Scally, McAninch, McKinley (Jeanes 58), Maciver-Redwood, Heal, Stokes (Morris 73).