Dundee faced Hibs in the Little Big Shot Youth Cup at Dens knowing that a harder task awaited them than in the last round against Whitehill Welfare which resulted in an 8-0 win.
But the Dens youngsters didn’t give their Edinburgh counterparts time to settle and were soon buzzing around Sean Brennan’s goal. John Black had the first attempt on goal and Brennan saved easily, but the keeper showed his nervousness when he spilled a Josh Skelly corner round the post for a second corner. Kyle Clark almost made him pay for that mistake with a header that Brennan tipped over the bar.
Dundee were well on top, though Ben Priest twice had to block shots from Hibs attackers in their rare forays upfield.
It looked a goal all the way for the hosts when Clark cut the ball back into Josh Skelly’s path but the prolific front man’s effort was turned away for a corner by desperate Hibs defending.
But, just after the half hour mark the Dark Blues took the lead with an excellent goal. Skelly’s corner was cleared out only as far as Black who played the ball back to Skelly and his pinpoint cross was headed powerfully into the roof of the net by PRIEST.
A terrific run and cross from Sam Dryden was just too high for Skelly and Hibs cleared the danger but were rocked with two goals inside a minute just before half time.
Dundee were awarded a penalty on 40 minutes when Calvin Colquhoun was fouled, but Skelly failed to net with his spot kick and saw keeper Brennan also save his follow-up effort. However, CLARK was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.
A minute later it was 3-0 with a superb individual goal from Jesse CURRAN. He picked up the ball in midfield and left several Hibs defenders trailing in his wake and coolly slotted the ball past Brennan.
Hibs came out in more determined mood after the interval and forced several corners without really troubling skipper Kyle Gourlay in goal.
Then, five minutes into the second half the Dens men made it four, Skelly latching onto a ball down the right before squaring the ball across goal for the inrushing Ryan GEMMELL.
Despite the scoreline the visitors were giving a better account of themselves and they grabbed a consolation goal midway through the half when Jack Breen’s pass found Olly SHAW who gave Gourlay no chance from 10 yards out.
Shaw then burst through the Dens defence, in which Priest and central defensive partner Kerr Waddell had been outstanding, and forced Gourlay into one of his few saves of the game.
Dryden picked up a knock and was replaced by Greg Warwick with 18 minutes to go and Dundee almost went further ahead when Calvin Colquhoun’s header from a Skelly corner went just wide of the target.
With five minutes remaining Manager Eddie Johnson sent on 15-year-old Taylor Berry for the industrious Gemmell.
The young Dark Blues almost made it five in the dying seconds but Brennan pulled off a fine double save from Skelly and Clark.
Dundee: Gourlay, Dryden (Warwick 72), Waddell, Priest, Gibb, J Black, Curran, Colquhoun, Gemmell (Berry 85), Clark, Skelly. Subs not used: Beattie, Gallacher, Shaw.
Hibs: Brennan, Dunsmore, Sterling, Waugh, Porteous, Scott (Donaldson 60), Smith (Murray 46), Martin (Breen 55), Shaw, Duthie, Watson. Sub not used: Costello.
Report: Jim Davie.
