Report: U18s Progress On Penalties

The wee Hibees progressed to the Fourth Round of the Scottish Youth Cup after beating Dunfermline Athletic on penalties.

The teams played out a 1-1 draw after 90 minutes before the match went straight to penalties – with the Hibees eventually running out 4-2 winners in the shootout.

The Hibees had the ball in the back of the net inside 15 minutes when McMurdo rounded the ‘keeper, but the linesman had his flag up and the goal was chalked off for offside.

The hosts had chances of their own in a competitive first half with neither side able to break the deadlock.

Five minutes into the second half, however, Dunfermline opened the scoring after Kyle Davidson headed home from close range following a set-piece by the corner flag.

Going behind sparked the Hibees into action, with Dean Cleland coming the closest to finding an equaliser when he sent a shot inches over the bar after a winding run past several defenders.

The lower league side were defending for their lives and were incredibly tough to break down, with the Hibees throwing bodies forward and deliveries into the box from all areas.

Eventually, that pressure paid off and we got ourselves back on level terms courtesy of Adam Buckley with ten minutes to play. After a proper goalmouth scramble, the ball ricocheted off the midfielder and looped over the goalkeeper and into the back of the net.

Both teams went in search of a winner, but neither could find one and the game went straight to penalties after 90 minutes.

In the end, Ryan Mallon was the hero of the shootout, saving two pars penalties, with all four Hibees – Jay Gallacher, Kasper Kitchin, Jamie McMurdo and Cole Shankland – successfully converting their spot-kicks to ensure safe passage into the Fourth Round of the Scottish Youth Cup.

Hibs U18s: Mallon, Buckley, McGrath, Gillie (Gallacher 75), Calder, Whittaker (Jimenez 60), Bruce, McMurdo, McDonald (Kitchin 80), Davidson (Shankland 60), Cleland.