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Every game's a cup final - two teams play three in 10 days

Giancarlo RinaldiSouth Scotland reporter
News imageDavid McDonald An action shot from a football match where a player in a blue and gold strip lunges in to tackle a player in red and black striped top and black shorts with the ball at his feet.David McDonald
Dalbeattie Star and Stranraer Reserves played the first of their three cup finals in 10 days on Wednesday

Every game is a cup final is one of the great football cliches.

However, it has literally come true for two south of Scotland football sides between now and the end of the season.

Dalbeattie Star and Stranraer Reserves are going head to head in not one, not two but three cup finals in the space of 10 days

In the process, they will decide the Potts Cup, Cree Lodge Cup and Tweedie Cup competitions.

The South of Scotland Football League (SOSFL) - the country's sixth tier - has just 11 teams but they take part in no fewer than eight cup competitions run by the SOSFL, Southern Counties FA and Wigtownshire and District FA.

Although some of them include sides outside the SOSFL, it does increase the chances of clubs meeting more often.

In addition, Dalbeattie and Stranraer are probably the strongest two sides in the set-up having finished first and second in the league.

News imageDavid McDonald A footballer with red hair and a beard with a red and black striped top shields the ball from a man in a blue shirt with gold stripes on itDavid McDonald
The two teams finished first and second in the South of Scotland League

Nonetheless, their fixture list is a remarkable one in such a short space of time.

The first clash took place on Wednesday night with Stranraer winning 1-0.

The second was scheduled for Friday while the final encounter of their three game showdown is on 29 May.

News imageDavid McDonald A footballer in a red and black striped top and black shorts has the ball at his feet while two players in blue kit with yellow shoulder stripes close in on himDavid McDonald
A large number of postponed games led to a backlog of cup finals

League secretary Richard Osborne said he could not remember such a run of cup final clashes between the same two teams in such a short space of time.

"It is very unusual for the same two clubs to be competing in three cup finals within 10 days," he said.

"I am not aware of a similar occurrence in my past 14 years as secretary."

He said a combination of the quality of the two teams and a lot of cancelled matches had played their part.

"It's not unusual for clubs that finish towards the top of the SOSFL to also reach cup finals as traditionally they are the strongest teams that season," he said.

"We often find we have several cup finals in May, at the end of the season, as finishing the league fixtures is generally a priority."

News imageDavid McDonald A group of footballers in blue strips with yellow shoulders hold up a cup and celebrate their winDavid McDonald
Stranraer won the first of the three cup finals between the two teams

The draw for all eight local cup competitions is made randomly - without any seeding - making it all the more unlikely that the same two teams should only meet at the final hurdle.

Each of the two clubs will host one final at their own ground with the third being played at a neutral venue, Blairmount Park in Newton Stewart.

Stranraer took the honours in the first clash, the SCFA's Potts Cup on Wednesday night.

The second cup final was scheduled to be played on Friday night before the last round of their unusual cup final treble on 29 May.