In what can only be described as a rollercoaster of Scottish weather and hockey, Fidra Lions Development romped to an 8-0 victory against Stirling Wanderers Development at Forthbank Stadium. It was a match played under the most typical conditions for a Scottish afternoon: rain, sideways rain, thunder, lightning, and, believe it or not, a glorious burst of sunshine... at least until full-time.

The game began with the two squads wondering if they'd signed up for a hockey match or an all weather endurance test. Fidra Lions, clearly unaccustomed to aquatic conditions, sought shelter under the dugout (never have you seen adult men squeeze into such a small space), while the Stirling Wanderers, mostly made up of bright-eyed youngsters, looked like they’d just discovered the concept of waterproof clothing.

When the skies briefly stopped spitting out galactic sized buckets of rain, the game got underway at 2:10 pm, and Fidra wasted no time in asserting dominance. Stirling's youngsters, still blinking through the drizzle, barely had time to string two passes together before Fidra’s Cammy Forrest opened the scoring, setting the tone for what was to come.

If Matt Boyd, Fidra’s goalkeeper, had brought a camping chair, he probably would’ve used it. His only contributions were two lone touches of the ball—one in each half—proving that sometimes, goalkeepers get to enjoy front-row seats to their team’s masterclass.

Goals came thick and fast, with Martin Johnston, John Ellis, Scott Milligan, and Ross McNab joining Forrest on the scoresheet, each scoring as easily as if they were in a training session. The star of the show, however, was Josh Dafforn, whose two goals were so well-taken they almost made you forget the hail that had hit earlier in the day.

To Stirling’s credit, their young squad kept their spirits up, although their match was more an exercise in survival than a contest for points. The rain may have soaked their kits, but their fighting spirit was intact, even as the scoreline ticked up mercilessly in Fidra’s favor.

At full-time, with the Wallace Monument standing proud in the background and the sun making an odd and untimely cameo, Fidra walked away 8-0 winners. As for Stirling Wanderers, well, they might need more than an umbrella to weather this storm.

Oh, and the journey home? Naturally, it was back to the rain. Because of course it was!!