AN AYRSHIRE football club faces a "race against time" as it looks to fund an 800-mile round trip to its first Scottish Cup tie.
Stewarton Annick Ladies were handed a logistical nightmare when the draw for the competition's first preliminary round took place on Thursday, July 23.
The East Ayrshire club were drawn to play away from home - against Shetland Women. The journey is some 400 miles one-way, a majority of which is over water.
At present, the expected cost of fulfilling the fixture is set to exceed £14,000.
Showing just how far the journey is, the game will take place closer to the Faroe Islands and Norway - both of which are around 200 miles away - than it will to Stewarton.
Making matters worse, the tie is due to be played on Sunday, August 9, little more than two weeks after the draw was made.
Stewarton, a part-time team who compete in the regional Scottish Women's Football League South, now have a fight to make this feasible.
It was confirmed that the tie will not be moved to the mainland, with Shetland opting to keep what will be their first-ever Scottish Cup match on the island.
A Stewarton Annick Ladies statement said: "We had not anticipated the possibility of being drawn away to Shetland or budgeted for a journey of this scale.
"We completely understand why Shetland want to play the game at home and, to be fair, it is their home tie. We appreciate how important it is for them to showcase women’s football within their own community.
"We are delighted to see more teams from across Scotland taking part in the competition, but the draw has presented a significant logistical and financial challenge for a grassroots club with limited resources."
Stewarton say that many other factors have posed further challenges.
The statement added: "Unlike many trips, travelling to Shetland isn’t simply a case of going the day before and returning the day after. Due to work commitments, many of our players are unable to travel on Saturday or return on Monday.
"This means we need to find a way of travelling to Shetland, playing the match and returning home all on the same day, making the logistics and cost even more challenging.
"The financial reality of the tie is substantial. We have now received an estimated quote for a chartered flight for 19 people of just over £14,500.
"However, availability is already extremely restricted, departure from Glasgow at 11.15am arriving in Sumburgh at 12.45pm. On the return leg, on a flight to Edinburgh departing at 6.45pm.
"This creates further logistical complications, as we would require additional transport arrangements due to the return flight arriving in a different airport."
Stewarton are now seeking any available support as they look to ensure the fixture can go ahead as planned.
The statement continued: "With the clock ticking before the cup tie, we remain hopeful that a solution can still be found, although it highlights the financial reality facing community football clubs when long-distance travel is involved.
"If any businesses, organisations or individuals feel they could help the club in any way, whether through sponsorship, financial support, travel assistance or by providing contacts that could help reduce the cost of the trip - we would be incredibly grateful to hear from them.
"Any support would not only help us fulfil our Scottish Cup fixture, but it would also ensure Shetland Women FC can enjoy the home tie they have rightly earned in their first Scottish Cup campaign and continue showcasing women’s football in their own community.
"Helping make this fixture happen benefits both clubs and demonstrates the spirit of grassroots football across Scotland.
"Every offer of support, no matter how big or small, could make a real difference in ensuring the match goes ahead and that both teams have the opportunity to compete on the pitch."
Anyone who may be able to assist is encouraged to contact Stewarton Annick Ladies through social media channels or by email at stewartonafcladies@gmail.com.
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