2021–22 South Challenge Cup

SFA South Region Challenge Cup
Tournament details
Country	Scotland England (2 teams)
Dates	11 September 2021 – 22 May 2022
Teams	161
Defending champions	Dunipace
Final positions
Champions	Auchinleck Talbot
Tournament statistics
Matches played	141
Goals scored	680 (4.82 per match)
←  2020–21 2022–23 →

The 2021–22 SFA South Region Challenge Cup was the 15th edition of the annual knockout cup competition for senior non-league clubs in the central and southern regions of Scotland. The tournament entry increased from 142 to a record 161 teams thanks to additional clubs joining the East of Scotland Football League and West of Scotland Football League.

The defending champions were Dunipace, who beat Broomhill 3–1 in the delayed final of the 2019–20 edition on 15 August 2021. However they went out of the competition in the second round, losing 2–1 to Sauchie Juniors.

Auchinleck Talbot of the West of Scotland League lifted the trophy in their first season competing in the competition, beating Lowland League champions Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 3–1 in the final.

Format

The South Challenge Cup featured 161 senior non-league clubs from the Lowland Football League (16), East of Scotland Football League (58), South of Scotland Football League (12), and West of Scotland Football League (75).The reserve teams of Stirling University, Caledonian Braves, and Stranraer, as well as Celtic B and Rangers B, do not take part. Heston Rovers and Westerton United withdrew from the competition and their respective leagues after the initial draw was made.

For the first time since 2015–16, the first and second rounds were regionalised, with north-east, south-east, south-west, and north-west sections each containing 40 or 41 clubs. ^[1]

The draw was unseeded, with matches proceeding to extra time and penalties if they were tied after 90 minutes.

Calendar

Round	Main date [2]	Fixtures	Clubs
First Round	11 September 2021 [3]	33	161 → 128
Second Round	16 October 2021 [3]	64	128 → 64
Third Round	20 November 2021	32	64 → 32
Fourth Round	5 February 2022	16	32 → 16
Fifth Round	5 March 2022	8	16 → 8
Quarter-Finals	2 April 2022	4	8 → 4
Semi-Finals	30 April 2022	2	4 → 2
Final	22 May 2022	1	2 → 1

First round

The draw for the regionalised first and second rounds took place on Friday 4 June 2021. ^{[1] [3]} Each zone features 8 fixtures in the first round with 24 clubs receiving a bye to the second round (except the South-East zone featuring 9 matches and 23 byes). Preston Athletic, Syngenta, and Tranent Juniors progressed to the second round after their opponents were unable to field a team.

North-East zone

South-East zone

South-West zone

North-West zone

Second round

The second round took place on the weekend of 16 October 2021, with 16 fixtures in each zone. Lugar Boswell Thistle and Renfrew received a bye to the third round after their opponents withdrew from the competition after the draw was made.

North-East zone

South-East zone

South-West zone

Replay

North-West zone

Third round

The third round took place on the weekend of 20 November 2021, reverting to an open draw with 32 fixtures to be played. The draw took place on 21 October 2021. ^[4]

Fourth round

The fourth round took place on the weekend of 5 February 2022, however nine of the sixteen matches were postponed until the fifth round date. The draw took place on 20 December 2021 and was broadcast live on the Official Catchup YouTube channel.

Draw

Lowland League	East of Scotland League	West of Scotland League
Bo'ness United Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Caledonian Braves Civil Service Strollers Cumbernauld Colts East Kilbride The Spartans University of Stirling	Premier Division Dundonald Bluebell Jeanfield Swifts Linlithgow Rose Sauchie Juniors Tranent Juniors Conference X Bo'ness Athletic Syngenta	Premier Division Auchinleck Talbot Beith Juniors Blantyre Victoria Clydebank Cumbernauld United Darvel Hurlford United Irvine Meadow XI Pollok Troon Tier 7 Conferences Arthurlie Drumchapel United Maybole Juniors Petershill Renfrew Thorniewood United Vale of Leven

Matches

Fifth round

The fifth round was scheduled to take place on the weekend of 5 March 2022. Due to delays in completing the fourth round, the majority of ties were rescheduled to later dates.

Draw

Teams in italics were unknown at the time of the draw. Teams in bold advanced to the quarter-finals.

Lowland League	East of Scotland League	West of Scotland League
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Bo'ness United Caledonian Braves East Kilbride The Spartans University of Stirling	Premier Division Dundonald Bluebell Jeanfield Swifts Linlithgow Rose Sauchie Juniors Conference X Bo'ness Athletic	Premier Division Auchinleck Talbot Darvel Pollok Tier 7 Conferences Petershill Vale of Leven

Matches

Quarter-finals

The quarter-finals took place on the weekend of 2 April 2022.

Draw

Lowland League	East of Scotland League	West of Scotland League
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic Bo'ness United East Kilbride The Spartans	Premier Division Jeanfield Swifts Sauchie Juniors	Premier Division Auchinleck Talbot Pollok

Matches

Semi-finals

The semi-finals were both scheduled to take place on the weekend of 30 April 2022, however the match involving Bonnyrigg Rose was moved to 12 April due to their participation in the Pyramid play-off 2nd leg.

Draw

Lowland League	East of Scotland League	West of Scotland League
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic The Spartans	Sauchie Juniors	Auchinleck Talbot

Matches

Final

The final of the TradeRadiators.com South Challenge Cup was played at the Falkirk Stadium on Sunday 22 May 2022, with a 3pm kick-off.

References