Edina's dramatic derby win

With national champions of the past two years Tynecastle lying in their wake, Edina Hibs will carry Capital hopes into the last four of the under-15 Scottish Youth FA Challenge Cup after an enthralling duel at Bingham Park.

The little-known pocket of green in the south-east of the city was positively bouncing under the weight of the near-200 crowd or, more accurately, the jubilant green contingent who wildly celebrated a dramatic, against-the-odds 2-1 win for the home side over Tynecastle.

This was a clash of the two dominant forces in this season's South East Region Youth FA under-15 league.

But never could have any expert, even one witness to the humdingers these two heavyweights of Edinburgh youth football have served up in past encounters, have foreseen the frenzied, cat-and-mouse set-two featuring long spells of domination and, eventually, an opening goal by Tynecastle, as well as a red card for Edina's goalkeeper - 80 minutes of intense, gripping rivalry that culminated with an almighty Edina comeback and substitute Azad Okan's immaculate last-minute winning goal.

In ending Tynie's two-year reign as Scottish champions, the young Hibs side face a March tie against Glasgow side St Cadoc's or Aberdonians Albion BC - but more likely the latter, who are said to be among the favourites to win the competition. In the other semi-final, Clark Drive are pitted against Park Villa, who knocked out Edina last year, for a place in the final at Airdrie's Excelsior Stadium on Sunday, May 8.

Martin Owens, the Edina head coach, says his side is near-sated already after overcoming their maroon-clad adversaries and the current holders in such a dramatic manner.

"I've never experienced anything like that in my time in youth football," he reflected post-match. "The atmosphere was terrific, the number of people there was terrific. I thought the Tynecastle coaches were very gracious in defeat - there were lots of well-wishes."

Edina showed no little resilience to contribute handsomely to a game that for the first 50 minutes was dominated by Tynecastle. The trigger for the home side's upturn was the controversial red card shown to their goalkeeper, Daniel Kerr, who thwarted the menacing Tynecastle forward George Hunter by racing from his goalline but handled the ball just outside his area as his momentum in the challenge propelled him beyond the 18-yard line. - there's black-and-white interpretation of the rules, and there's allowing for reason and common sense.

The only nonsensical aspect of the earlier stages of the match was that it took so long for Tynecastle to break the deadlock. Shortly after the break, Hunter prevailed where his side's previous 40 minutes of huffing and puffing failed, stabbing home a close-range effort at the second attempt after Kerr had blocked his initial attempt from Blake Wales' clever, low cross. The subsequent sending off could have compounded matters for the trailing home side. But, in the event, not so. Although he will miss the last-four tie, Kerr will at least have a chance to compete with fellow Hibs goalkeeper Ryan Forsyth in the final of the competition, should Edina reach it. That opportunity was lent by the mercurial Dylan Clark, enduring a quiet game by his own high standards, and the match- winner Okan.

A quarter of an hour after Edina were reduced to ten men, as Tynecastle defended the latest attack on their goal by a teeth-gritting home side, Clark stooped to meet John Pearson's corner from the left at the far post and head past two defenders on the line.

If the celebrations of the home touchline were raucous at that point, it was utter bedlam 15 minutes later. Clark's exquisite through-ball from midfield found the stride of Okan's direct run towards goal and, after ousting Tynie defender Taylor Black from the ball, the striker poked a brilliant shot high past goalkeeper Cameron Tulloch to prompt a pitch invasion.

The celebrations were premature by a further minute of time added on, during which Tynecastle captain Bradd Campsie drive hit the top of the crossbar with a 25-yard effort.

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.

Tynecastle: Cameron Tulloch, Taylor Black, Gavin Birrell, Scott Siegel, Bradd Campsie, Mikey Hamilton, Connor Brydon, Andrew McBride, Sean Burns, Ryan Clarke, Euan Lannon, Ross Stenhouse, George Hunter, Blake Wales.