Dogged U19s use extra gear to win

James McDONAUGH believes it would have been a travesty had his Hibs under-19 side not emerged 2-1 victors in yesterday's SFA Youth Cup match against Falkirk at East Mains.

The Easter Road youngsters dominated the game for long spells however they were pushed all the way by a Bairns side that refused to concede defeat.

In the end it took the odd goal in three to separate the teams after a gruelling 120 minutes of football played in terrible wet and windy conditions.

McDonaugh said: "It was a gritty performance but at the end of the day the boys have had to roll their sleeves up and work really hard to earn their just rewards.

"At times we played some good football, passed the ball well, created a lot of chances and deserved to win the game although it would've been a shame if we hadn't.

"I was beginning to wonder if the goals were going to come for us because we created so many good opportunities. It's a great achievement to reach the last four and it will be a new experience for many of our boys."

Hibs opened the scoring just before half time when captain Scott Smith drilled a fantastic low drive through a ruck of bodies and into the bottom corner of the visitors' goal.

Yet, despite their dominance, the home team were unable to add to their slender advantage and paid a heavy price for being so wasteful six minutes from the end. Falkirk substitute Craig Sibbald, who had only been on the field for a matter of seconds, latched onto the ball on the edge of the penalty box and finished clinically past goalkeeper Callum Antell. That goal sent the game into extra-time where Hibs once again gained control.

Luck appeared to have deserted Hibs after they struck the woodwork for the third time before Jack Verth popped up with the decisive goal after 101 minutes. The visitors' chances were reduced along with their numbers only moments later when defender Grant Santi was dismissed for violent conduct.

In the final seconds Hibs survived a scare when Falkirk had a goal chalked off.

Hibernian: Antell, Burns, Smith, Monaghan (Handling 91), Forster, Verth, Crawford, Horner, Caldwell, Horribine (Addison 84), Lancaster. Subs: Grant, Addison, Gold, Wright, Handling.

Falkirk: Bowman, Santi, Kingsley, Wallace, Turnball, Fulton (Comrie 74), Davidson, McCafferty (Sibbald 83), Kelly (Bonar 64), Alston, Graham. Subs: Bonar, Sibbald, Comrie, Brisbane, Roberts.

Referee: Gavin Duncan.