Edina Hibs show their resolve to fight back and book final berth

Edina HIBS will contest the under-15 Scottish Cup final after overturning a 1-0 half-time deficit to run out deserved 4-1 winners against Paisley side St Cadoc's at Olive Bank, Musselburgh.

The Scottish Youth FA Challenge Cup semi-final tie was a pretty one-sided affair with two goals from Edina's Azad Okan and a Fraser Eddington header making the difference. Edina Hibs will now face either Ayrshire side Clark Drive, East Kilbride or Park Villa, who knocked them out of the cup last year, in the May showpiece at Airdrie's Excelsior Stadium.

After falling behind to an early goal from their visitors, the hosts drew level five minutes into the second half when Dean French tapped in from close range after Jed Davie's long throw ricocheted off two defenders in the box. Eddington headed high over the keeper to edge his side ahead on 65 minutes after Jordan Brown linked well with Marcus Campanile, and Edina's third goal came ten minutes from full time with Brown's pass down the right reaching Okan, who fired low and hard into the bottom right corner. Okan's close-range header from a long Dylan Clark left-side cross sealed the victory in the closing stages.

In an end-to-end first half, Edina's Renfrewshire rivals assumed the lead after eight minutes when a low cross from the left trickled into the feet of Hussnain Mansoor, and he placed a shot into the bottom right corner. The Edinburgh club dominated from then on, with Dean French's acrobatic overhead kick striking the bar five minutes after the goal.

Late in the half, Eddington and Campanile both saw long-range efforts go just past. In the second half, the home side came out with attacking intent, and had several chances within a matter of minutes.

Eddingtion used his pace to make many darting runs down the right wing, with one cross-cum-shot skimming the top of the cross bar.

In one of St Cadoc's few chances, James Young had a good effort blocked on the line. Edina were unlucky not to grab another goal when Okan's cross reached French and his diving header forced quick reactions from the goalkeeper.

Their most glaring missed chance came 25 minutes into the second half, when Eddington's long ball met Okan in the box and his shot hit the crossbar, only for Clark to head the rebound over.

Edina Hibs coach Scott Bonar, reflected on a thrilling encounter. He said: "In the first half I think the boys played really well. St Cadoc's were strong in the first ten minutes but we had numerous chances and just didn't convert them. Then the anxiety was coming in, so we had to tell them at half time to show a bit of composure and take some of the chances they were creating."

Fellow home coach Martin Owens would not be drawn on what he thought of his team's chances in the final. "It's 50-50 now," he said. "We'll have to wait and see what happens on the day."

The final will be played at Airdrie on Sunday, May 8.

Edina Hibs: Daniel Kerr, Dean French, William Macphee, John Pearson, Ross Anderson, Dylan Clark, Jordan Brown, Azad Okan, Jed Davie, Marcus Campanile, Zach Szemis, Calum Livingstone, Fraser Eddington, Kieran Owens, Ryan Forsyth.

St Cadocs: Euan Forsyth, Stephen Rae, Michael Leach, Max McCluskey, Jason Lindsay, Hussnain Mansoor, Ciaran Armstrong, James Young, Liam McQueen, Joseph Leach, Gregor Summers, Michael Allan, Mark Toner, Andrew Gilroy, Daniel Baines.