Scottish Cup: Hibernian U19s 2-1 Hearts (AET)
Ross Caldwell grabeds a double to bring Hibernian back from the dead and break Hearts in a Capital derby thriller, reports Matthew Harold at Easter Road.
Ross Caldwell brought Hibernian back from the dead to take Hearts into extra time and eventually end their Scottish Cup dreams.
With five minutes left it looked like the league leaders were going to book their place in the fourth round with a Fraser Mullen goal, before Caldwell struck in normal time then killed the game off during the extra half hour.
In front of a healthy crowd at Easter Road, James McDonaugh’s side should have taken the lead early on, as Caldwell helped to set up Daniel Handling, who crashed the ball off the visitors bar.
That strike woke up the Jambos and they started to press forward and were unfortunately not to take the lead themselves, as the ball broke inside the box, with Jamie Walker finding the net with a spectacular overhead kick, but unfortunately for the Hearts forward the goal was ruled out for offside.
Both sides continued to press back and forward for the reminder of the half, but neither could find the opening goal and ultimately they were forced to go into the half time break on level terms.
The second half started slowly, until on the hour mark the visitors found the opener, as the ball bounced around the Hibernian box, before Mullen got the ball on the right hand side of the area and drilled it beyond home keeper Paul Grant to take the lead.
That goal lead to wild celebrations from the visitors, who in unison slid in front of where the majority of the home support, were congregated, leading Mullen to receive abuse from the Hibs support for the reminder of the game.
Being a goal down and seemingly heading out the cup, Hibs started to galvanise and pressurise visiting keeper Jack Hamilton, with firstly Caldwell putting a shot just by the keeper’s right hand post.
Then a golden opportunity, when a scramble inside the Hearts box saw the ball break to Sam Stanton after Caldwell had hit a shot from the left hand side of the area off the post, but the midfielder’s effort was cleared by Jambos skipper Christopher Kane.
With less than five minutes remaining, the home side finally got their deserved equaliser, as a long ball from Jordon Forster found Caldwell, after some indecisive defending by both Kevin McHattie and Brad McKay allowed the striker to slam the ball past Hamilton and into the back of the Hearts goal.
At the start of the first period of extra time, Darren Murray’s side should have reclaimed the lead, as substitute Billy King cut inside from the left wing, but his shot was easily saved by Grant in the Hibs goal.
And from nearly going behind, the home side took the lead less than a minute later, as Grant launched the ball long, into the path on the onrushing Caldwell, who held off McKay and powered the ball by Hamilton to claim his second of the game.
Hearts should have got back level straight away, as Walker raced down the left wing, before cross to the back post for substitute Sam Nicholson, who with a gapping goal in front of him, managed somehow to cannon the ball off the bar.
The second period of extra time saw the visitors become more and more desperate, but they couldn’t find a way past the Hibs defence in order to get a shot a Grant’s goal and the home side managed to hang on and claim their place in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup.
Hibernian U19: Grant, Doris, Stanton, Monaghan, Foster, Verth, Horribine, Gold, Caldwell (Donaldson, 113), Handling (Smith, 58), Addison (Harris, 69)
Subs not used: Horne (GK) Mitter.
Heart of Midlothian U19: Hamilton, Mullen, McHattie, Kane, McKay, Tapping (A. King, 105), Paterson (Nicholson, 90), Smith, Stewart (B. King, 79), Holt, Walker
Subs not used: Carswell (GK) McGhee
Man of the Match: Ross Caldwell (Hibernian U19)
