# 2024 Scottish Challenge Cup final

The 2024 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the SPFL Trust Trophy final for sponsorship reasons, was a football match on 24 March 2024 between the Cymru Premier club The New Saints and the Scottish Championship side Airdrieonians. It was the 31st final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the now defunct Scottish Football League, and the ninth since the SPFL was formed. It was played at Falkirk Stadium. It would subsequently be the last Scottish Challenge Cup final to feature a non-Scottish team due to them no longer being invited the following season.

## Route to the final
### The New Saints

The New Saints (TNS), as an invited team representing the Cymru Premier, started in the Third Round where they were drawn away at Hibernian B where they won 3–0 at Meadowbank Stadium. In the next round they played East Fife at home. At their Park Hall, TNS progressed after winning 5–4 on penalties after a 2–2 draw. In the quarter-finals, they overcame Arbroath 4–1 at Park Hall. In the semi-finals, they played Falkirk away at Falkirk Stadium. TNS won 1–0 becoming the second Welsh team to reach the final after Connah's Quay Nomads in 2019. TNS also entered this match looking to match the world record for consecutive wins in all competitions.
| Round | Opposition | Score |
| Third round | Hibernian B (a) | 3–0 |
| Fourth round | East Fife (h) | 2–2 (a.e.t.) 5–4 (p) |
| Quarter-final | Arbroath (h) | 4–1 |
| Semi-final | Falkirk (a) | 1–0 |

### Airdrieonians

Airdrieonians also started in the Third Round away at the University of Stirling and won 3–2 at Forthbank Stadium. In the next round they played away against Rangers B and progressed after a 4–2 win at Cappielow. They then faced Greenock Morton at Cappielow and won 6–5 on penalties after a 0–0 draw. In the semi-finals they played away at Raith Rovers and progressed to the final after a 1–0 win at Stark's Park.
| Round | Opposition | Score |
| Third round | University of Stirling (a) | 3–2 |
| Fourth round | Rangers B (a) | 4–2 |
| Quarter-final | Greenock Morton (a) | 0–0 (a.e.t.) 6–5 (p) |
| Semi-final | Raith Rovers (a) | 1–0 |

## Match details

| The New Saints | Airdrieonians |
| GK25 Connor Roberts RB7 Josh Daniels CB22 Danny Davies CB2 Josh Pask LB3 Chris Marriott CM19 Ben Clark 74' CM21 Leo Smith 90' CM10 Daniel Redmond 74' RW18 Rory Holden 79' FW23 Brad Young RW17 Jordan Williams 78' Substitutes: GK1 Reece Thompson DF12 Blaine Hudson DF26 Jordan Marshall 79' MF8 Ryan Brobbel 90' MF14 Dan Williams 74' MF15 Jared Harlock FW9 Declan McManus 74' FW11 Adrian Cieślewicz 78' FW39 Tom Jones Manager: Craig Harrison | GK40 Robbie Hemfrey RB2 Cammy Ballantyne CB16 Craig Watson CB6 Callum Fordyce LB5 Mason Hancock CDM4 Rhys McCabe 45' RM28 Gavin Gallagher 54' CM10 Adam Frizzell LM21 Charlie Telfer AM12 Liam McStravick 61' FW11 Nikolay Todorov 90+3' Substitutes: GK43 David Hutton DF3 Aaron Taylor-Sinclair MF8 Lewis McGregor MF14 Dean McMaster 45' MF19 Elliot Dunlop MF26 Chris Donnell 61' FW7 Josh O'Connor 54' FW9 Calum Gallagher 90+3' FW23 Gabby McGill Manager: Rhys McCabe |
| Man of the match: Nikolay Todorov (Airdrieonians) | Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. |