Hibs take Under-18 Edinburgh derby bragging rights with 4-1 victory over Hearts

Hibs recovered from losing an early goal to win the Under-18 Edinburgh derby with a 4-1 victory over Hearts at the Oriam this afternoon as Gary Caldwell, Valerio Zuddas, Robbie Neilson, and Joe Savage all watched on.

Robbie Hamilton leaps to head home Hibs' second from Oscar MacIntyre's cross. Picture: Maurice Dougan

Macaulay Tait opened the scoring for Hearts around 15 minutes in but two goals in quick succession from Ethan Laidlaw and Robbie Hamilton turned the game on its head and strikes by Connor Young and Josh O’Connor from the penalty spot in the second half secured a comfortable victory for the visitors.

Hibs are still without defensive duo Jacob Blaney and Josh McCulloch but Mack Weir, who missed last week’s 4-4 draw at Motherwell, returned to the backline. Hearts enjoyed a stronger start to the game than their rivals but there were no clear-cut chances until Tait’s opener.

Hibs lost possession in midfield and the ball was shifted to the number six, whose shot from the edge of the area hit the post but rebounded in off the diving Murray Johnson to give the hosts the lead.

Kanayo Megwa then had to be alert to hook a goalbound effort off the line and out for a corner to prevent Hearts doubling their advantage and Johnson was relieved to see another effort skim out for a goal kick but ten minutes before half-time Hibs turned the game on its head.

O’Connor fashioned a chance for himself on the left of the penalty area but whether his effort was a cross or a shot we may never know, but Laidlaw arrived at the back post to connect with it and slam in the equaliser.

Almost immediately they scored again, Oscar MacIntyre picking out Hamilton, whose header crept inside Liam McFarlane’s left-hand post.

Hibs could have gone in at the break even further ahead as Young rattled the crossbar with a dipping effort from distance.

Hearts came out strongly in the second period and Johnson was called into action on numerous occasions to prevent the hosts levelling the score. On the hour mark Young extended Hibs’ lead with a rifled finish from the edge of the area after getting the break of the ball and O’Connor made it four from the penalty spot as the game reached a conclusion.

Hearts: MacFarlane, Aitken, Tait, Thomas, Kirk, Sandilands, Forrester, Simpson, Ross, McLuckie, Rathie. Subs: Paris, Dall, Friel, Wilson, Nair, Chisholm, Spence.

Hibs: Johnson, J MacIntyre, Aiken, Weir, Megwa, O MacIntyre, Zaid, Hamilton, Laidlaw, Young, O’Connor. Subs: Blair, Fordyce, Hastie, Molotnikov, Wylie, Watt.