Friday night’s Brothers in Arms Trophy Final delivered goals, momentum swings and a packed crowd at Nethercraigs, with Steins Thistle Sunday eventually defeating Castlemilk FA 7–2.
For referee Kevin Cownie, the match also marked a personal milestone — his first final as the man in the middle.
Kevin says the experience and teamwork of the officials group played a major role during a hectic opening period.
“As with any cup final, you’ll have both teams going for it from the first whistle and this was no different.”
“It was a very experienced referee team which helped on the night get the correct calls first time and keep control of the game.”
The match remained tight early on before Steins gradually took control after moving two goals clear.
“To be fair to Castlemilk, they never gave up and kept pushing.”
“Once Steins had a two goal lead, I felt they relaxed a bit more and took control of the game.”
“The two center midfielders for Steins played a massive part in that, for me they controlled the game and really made a difference.”
Kevin also praised the attitude of both teams throughout the final despite the scoreline stretching in the second half.
“Both sides were a credit to themselves, their club and the GDSFC.”
“The pre chat with both teams helps. It’s a great opportunity to run over my expectations as a referee for the game, what will and what won’t be tolerated.”
“Also a special mention for the Castlemilk players who stayed to the end to congratulate Steins as they lifted the trophy.”
Officiating under the lights at Nethercraigs in front of a large crowd made the night even more memorable for the referee team.
“It was my first final as a referee. I was buzzing all day in the lead up to it and I enjoyed every minute.”
“It genuinely is a massive honour to be part of the final after working hard all season.”
“It was also fantastic to see such a large crowd there to support both sides. Credit to everyone that was there last night for contributing towards such a fantastic cup final.”
For Kevin, the wider message behind Brothers in Arms also carried genuine personal importance beyond the football itself.
“100%. It can be difficult for men to open up and start that initial conversation if they are struggling.”
“I know this first hand.”
“Anything we can do to promote a fantastic cause like BIA I am all for.”
One of the strongest themes across the final was respect. Kevin Cownie repeatedly referenced the behaviour of both squads, the communication before kick-off, and the atmosphere around the ground despite the intensity and scoreline swings during the match.
Cup finals usually leave one side celebrating and another disappointed.
Friday night also left a referee walking away from his first final with a story of his own.
Footy Focus season 25/26 
Leave a comment