Hearts (U18s) 1-4 Hibernian (U18s)

Hearts (U18s) 1-4 Hibernian (U18s)

CAS Elite Under 18s League

Wednesday 22nd December 2021

Hibernian's youngsters were deserved winners in this 'Edinburgh Derby' game just before Christmas as they recovered from conceding early on to comfortably pick up the three points.

Both teams offered plenty and there was a feisty and competitive edge to things from the outset with Ethan Laidlaw and Luke Rathie colliding in the opening few seconds before exchanging verbals - something which set the tone for a good game.

A thunderous rocket-shot from Hearts' Macauley Tait meant the team wearing maroon took the lead before two similar goals by Laidlaw and Robbie Hamilton within just a minute of one another, tipped things in the visitors' favour by half-time.

Crucially, Hibs then got a third goal through Connor Young to extend their lead to 3-1 just prior to the hour mark (this at a time when Hearts were starting to press for an equaliser), and any doubts about the end outcome were settled once and for all as Josh O'Connor converted a penalty 10 minutes from time after Ewan Simpson was penalised for a foul.

The game was played at Oriam (Heriot-Watt University) on the state-of-the-art outdoor 4G pitch which has great transport links from Edinburgh City Centre - even if the bus journey does seem to take forever!

I saw Hearts wallop East Kilbride in the Scottish Youth Cup in October so it was their players who I was more familiar with going into this game. They named a slightly younger starting xi in comparison to their counterparts who fielded players mainly from the '2004' cohort.

Laidlaw and Rathie's early coming together certainly set the tone and there were a few solid, full-blooded and even some mistimed tackles in a contest which tested the resilience, intelligence and quality of both groups of players. It had a good energy and tempo to it (even if Hibernian were deserved winners) and it was better in quality than almost every Category 3/4 game which I've seen frequently in England over the past couple of seasons.

The first chance of the afternoon came from an early set-piece as Hearts defender Adam Forrester planted his head to a right-sided inswinging corner but his firm connection was matched by a good clearance from a Hibernian defender on the goal-line.

Minutes later, the opener arrived. It was in the hosts favour - although, technically, it was an own goal by Murray Johnson but the Hibs 'keeper definitely won't be wanting to claim it. Had it also been scored in a first team environment infront of a big crowd then it'd have been talked about for years to come!

A definite 'Goal Of The Season' contender, it came about thanks to Macauley Tait who drifted forward in a central position, looked up from around 25-30 yards out and then with a single swing of his foot, unleashed with a rip-roaring, rasping thunderbolt shot which smacked the crossbar, hit the back of the 'keeper's glove, and nestled in the top corner.

It oozed venom and ferociousness and swamped by his delighted team-mates, Tait's celebration seemed to possess as much surprise as pure elation. Players don't score many better goals than these types and it was an absolute belter from another stratosphere!

Unfortunately, that was as good as it got for Hearts though and that's because their city rivals gradually began to dictate play - spending more time in possession during the 15-45 minute period leading up to half-time and using their physical strength and experience to their advantage.

Hearts became 'penned in' and forced to work relentlessly hard to maintain their out-of-possession shape and structure - though they did squander a decent chance to pinch a second goal when Callum Sandilands' speedy break down the middle and through-pass put Murray Thomas in the clear, but he was only able to drag his eventual shot wide of the far-post; the visitors unhappy all along that the flag wasn't raised for offside!

Nonetheless, with Hibs gradually getting on top and looking more composed and cuter in possession, the two goals they scored in quick succession (not much more than 60 seconds apart) were well-crafted but also disappointing to concede from a Hearts perspective.

Oscar MacIntyre got the assists on both occasions. The left-wing-back floated a teasing cross towards the back-post in the first instance where some hesitant defending allowed Laidlaw to creep in and finish for 1-1, before a good demonstration of tricky and nifty footwork tight to the byline in the second attack resulted in another pinpoint ball from which Hamilton was this time the beneficiary in pretty much exactly the same position inside the area!

With Hearts shell-shocked, in need of a good half-time discussion and needing something to 'click' in midfield in order to find a route back into the game, things could have got even worse on the stroke of half-time as a Hibs player was denied by the woodwork after a speculative shot from distance.

Whatever did get said at the break provoked a reasonably good response by Hearts early in the second half and, despite not achieving a positive result by full-time, they at least implemented their ideas to better effect, posed Hibernian more problems and retained the ball better than previously. The endeavour, attitude and commitment couldn't be faulted; they were just up against a very good team though at the same time who were organised, efficient and of a high calibre.

It was Sandilands who began to get on the ball and make an impact and he was heavily involved in two moves a few minutes apart before the visitors went 3-1 up. 

The first saw him deliver a deep cross from a high wide-right position which caught a deflection en route into the area with Rathie eventually heading the ball wide. Roughly five minutes later, the attack-minded midfielder cushioned a half-volley out wide from the centre circle and then accelerated at sheer pace to find a good position inside the box, though the eventual near-post ball was bravely claimed by the visiting goalkeeper.

Sandilands needed treatment in the immediate aftermath (presumably as sliding at pace on 4G can leave its mark and hurt a bit!) but the move was a good example of how Hearts were getting the ball down, getting on the front-foot, moving and transitioning quickly and taking charge of things in their search for an equaliser. It was their best bit of football since the initial early exchanges of the match.

The last thing they needed at this point, therefore, was to concede a third goal and that's precisely what happened within the next couple of minutes. In a sweeping move, Laidlaw was afforded a run at the Hearts defence when he ought to have been stopped in his tracks and having glided too easily past a defender and saw his subsequent low drive saved by the legs of Liam McFarlane, the resulting loose ball was tapped home with aplomb by Connor Young from a few yards out to make it 3-1.

The two-goal cushion which Hibs had now opened up resulted in their confidence levels increasing once again and a comeback never really looked as if it would materialise during the final half-hour. Hearts had a couple of half-openings (one of which fell to Sandilands) but sometimes tried 'forcing things' too predictably in their attacks which made things a bit easier for the visitors' strong and organised backline.

Hearts made a few substitutions as Bailey Dall (who didn't perform badly in his half-hour showing) and Rocco Friel both entered the field, whereas the Hibees kept the same 11 which started the game on the pitch right up until the closing minutes by which point they'd extended their lead again.

The fourth and final goal came from the penalty spot as Simpson caught his marker inside the box; the referee showing no hesitancy in making the decision to give a spot-kick, and O'Connor was cool, composed and measured as he placed his shot past McFarlane to round off a good afternoon for the visitors.

Nobody can have any complaints about the outcome. Hibernian were the better team, they performed admirably as a collective unit, did their jobs individually and can take pride in how they overcame the early setback to get the result they deserved.

Hearts' performance wasn't dreadful by any means though. Granted, the first three goals were preventable (and equally, the mistakes were ruthlessly pounced upon by Hibs), players at development age always learn more from defeats anyway and given how competitive this game was with its good energy, tempo and needle, it was a worthwhile game for everyone to benefit from in the long-term.

During the first 45 minutes, Hearts just weren't able to retain the ball for long enough when they had it, bar a handful of instances. That changed in the early stages of the second half when Callum Sandilands dropped a bit deeper at times and began to influence things (to a degree) for a 10-15 minute period which, frustratingly, culminated in Hibs bagging a third on the counter-attack to put the game to bed. That was the 'killer' goal because had it not been scored then it'd have been interesting to see whether Hearts could have maintained the momentum they'd started to build up. 

Sandilands is a decent enough player and although he could have found little pockets of space better to try and impact things more during the first 45 minutes (when the ball was mainly up in the air and not suiting his style whatsoever), one contribution that didn't go unnoticed - occurring around the half-hour mark, was when he tracked back and won possession after losing possession following a poor first touch. That kind of work goes a long way to making an impression!

Ewan Simpson has talent too and certain characteristics which may help him in the long-term. There was a rawness about his play (and in the game against East Kilbride too) but with nurturing, exposure in terms of game-time and good coaching, he'll only get better, improve and earn recognition.

Luke Rathie has a physique and competitiveness (demonstrated a couple of times in this encounter) which will make him an attractive proposition to some managers of mens teams. He certainly won't get bullied or be intimidated and those characteristics are 100% needed when trying to carve out a decent career. 

When disappointment over the result subsides, Macauley Tait ought to raise a smile with the rip-roaring 'banger' he scored - it was some strike and a shame more people weren't there to see it because it had all the hallmarks and ferociousness of the goal which Thomas Christensen smacked in for Denmark against Russia at Euro 2020.

Overall, an enjoyable game, and I'm looking forward to another one when I'm back in Edinburgh at some point in the New Year.