Despite having a handful of first-team regulars out injured, the Scots defeated Coca-Cola Combination Division I leaders St Paul’s 4-3 after extra-time to win their tenth piece of silverware in five seasons.
Santos, full of running throughout, jinked his way round two defenders before putting in a cross for Scottish to score their third goal and then eight minutes into the first period of extra time he crashed the ball into the goal for Scottish’s fourth, after a good work by Michael Weir and Paul Duxbury.
‘It was a cracking game,’ said Scottish manager Pat Brennan.
‘It was a hard decision leaving youngsters like Michael Weir and Danny Flynn out but I decided that we needed experience and players who have not trained or played in recent weeks returned to help us out.
‘I’ve nothing but praise for them, they were excellent and a couple of them were struggling to walk afterwards.
‘We chased and harried throughout; St Paul’s have good players and we could not afford to give them time and space to play in. We certainly showed a very good heart; even with the old guard in!’
The game burst into life with two goals in the opening four minutes; Jack Boyle scoring the opener for the Scots following a tremendous quick weaving 40-yard run before hitting a bottom corner.
Two minutes later St Paul’s were level when Craig Leitch, on a far post, side-footed home Dave Watson’s ball in after it had been laid back to him by Nathan Taylor.
Goalkeeper Andrew Bird blocked a shot from Scottish’s Luke Watson before James Fortune nodded the ball into his own goal attempting to cut out a Scottish cross.
Just like earlier St Paul’s responded immediately to equalise for a second time, Stuart Andre nodding home a cross from the right by Mark Lucas.
Boyle side-footed home Scottish’s third after excellent work by Santos but despite Boyle and the impressive Mark Brown linking well together Scottish could not capitalise on their dominance.
St Paul’s equalised for the third time with their first shot on goal in the second half, in the 85th minute, when Leitch finished brilliantly with his left foot into a top corner after checking back inside following a run out right.
Extra-time produced chances for both teams, Ryan Lumsden producing an excellent defensive header to deny Craig Russell while Boyle was denied a hat-trick following a superb tackle from James Fortune.
Russell dragged a good chance wide; Liam Walshe toe-poked the ball onto the foot of a Scottish goalpost while Andre had a goal ruled out following a foul by a team-mate.
Scottish: Craig Fletcher; Ryan Lumsden, James Scott, Craig Ferey; Paul Duxbury, Luke Watson, Mark Brown, Jack Boyle, Lee Burns; Yazalde Santos, Reuben Legge. Subs used: Michael Weir, Calum Brennan.
St Paul’s: Andrew Bird; James Fortune, Stuart Andre, Luke McGlone; Jean-Paul Martyn, Dave Watson, Liam Walshe, Mark Lucas, Craig Russell; Craig Leitch, Nathan Taylor. Subs used: Carl McConnell, Rupert Murray, Mark Ray.
Officials: Andy Legg, Ian Solomon, Steve Landick, Allister Moore.
