Edina Hibs in a league of their own

EDINA HIBS under-14s maintained their 100 per cent league record in convincing fashion in midweek, seeing off the challenge of Edinburgh South at the Jewel and keeping pace with the front-runners in South East Region Division 1.

Hibs have suffered just one defeat this season – in the Scottish Cup against Glasgow side Park Villa and, as such, have enjoyed extended runs in the cups, allowing little time to concentrate on improving their league position.

They still have six games in hand over leaders Musselburgh Windsor and have a far superior win ratio to their East Lothian counterparts. Judging by their latest performance, it will require a rival side punching well above their weight to stop Edina retaining the league title.

Edinburgh South, for their part, contributed well to an entertaining first half, but the visitors tired and ran out of ideas in the second half, leaking a further four goals to add to the four they conceded prior to the break and replying with just a solitary consolation.

Defender Dean French, who just weeks previously had been on a mission to negate the threat of strikers Azad Okan and Jordan Combe, was this time supplying the ammunition for the same Edina forwards to attack as he made his debut following a move from rivals Hutchison Vale 96. French was ably assisted by the long-term centre half pairing of William McPhee and John Pearson, all three imperious as the South attack was enthusiastic.

It was at the other end of the pitch, though, that the majority of the action occurred in a sweeping opening quarter of an hour.

Edina Hibs midfielder Dylan Clark struck an early double to immediately set the visitors on the back foot, then the same boy turned provider moments later, crossing for Marcus Campanile to convert from close range.

Clark was at the centre of absolutely everything, later picking up a wayward goalkick by South No.1 Liam Murrin and driving at the opposing defence before driving another cross low towards Okan, who diverted the ball into the net. Murrin produced a moment made of raw instinct to deny Edina a fifth shortly before half-time, diving to his left to repel a point-blank Campanile effort from a cross and drawing praise from both touchlines for his effort.

Just after half time, Murrin again blocked a goalbound effort in a one-on-one, this time winning a duel with Clark by stopping a shot with his knees.

Ten minutes into the second half, South found salvation and a degree of reward for their earlier efforts to play an attractive, slick passing game. James Flynn's free kick from 20 yards took a significant deflection off team-mate Ivan Griesco en route to goal, but the standout striker will claim the goal that made the scoreline 4-1.

Edina were keen, however, to exhibit their own considerable talents, and the goal conceded seemed to spark the hosts into life.

Now dominating the game, solid at the back and looking odds-on to score every time they poured forward, the green and whites added another goal to their tally on 46 minutes when Okan skipped through the South backline and sidefooted into the net.

Home captain Jed Davie was felled just inside the penalty area on the hour mark and confidently dispatched the resulting spot-kick himself into the bottom left-hand corner.

Midfielder Campanile was head and shoulders above any other player in the middle of the pitch throughout, showing great skill, composure and fight, and he sealed a superlative performance with the best goal of the game, a rip-roaring drive from 25 yards which fairly flew into the extreme top left-hand corner of the net. The same youngster then showed sufficient appetite to complete his personal treble, and round off the scoring altogether, with a last-minute strike.

Edina will tomorrow face Hutchison Vale 96 in the semi-final of the Willie Bauld Cup at Edinburgh Academy playing fields.

The winner will play Tynecastle at Tynecastle Stadium.

Edina Hibs: Daniel Kerr, Callum Livingstone, Dean French, William McPhee, John Pearson, Scott Taylor-MacKenzie, Dylan Clark, Jordan Combe, Azad Okan, Ross Anderson, Marcus Campanile, Liam Henderson, Jed Davie, George Hairs.

Edinburgh South: Liam Murrin, Connor Waugh, Scott Ewen, Ivan Griesco, Scott Siegel, Dillan Stark, Jamie Porteous, Reece Baptie, James Flynn, Daniel McKinlay, Kieran Stewart, Robert Campbell-Hewson, Michael Monan.