New Dundas Park played host to a tight Edinburgh Cup final between Gala Fairydean Rovers and Tynecastle FC Whites U13s in a tie that took extra time to decide a winner, which was eventually Gala, winning the game 5-4.

The game started brightly for Gala who dominated the opening five minutes, with Addison Bell and Harris Fairgrieve combining nicely in the final third but they couldn’t find the finishing touch. Their early dominance finally made Tynecastle pay in the eighth minute when Regan Stisi’s cross was blocked into the path of Oliver McClymont who placed his low effort beyond the keeper from the edge of the box to give Gala a deserved lead.

Tynecastle saw a resurgence in their play around 20 minutes into the game as they chased an equaliser, with many chances being created by Leon Byrne and Aidan O’Malley who came close with a powerful effort going just over. They eventually got back into the game courtesy of a through ball from Byrne into the path of Andrei Samoila, whose initial shot was blocked, but found the net with the rebound as Tynecastle drew even with Gala at the half hour mark.

Tynecastle looked to double their lead before the break with more chances created by Byrne that couldn’t be finished. Gala made Tynie pay as Sam Ostle went on a clever run down the left flank before powering the ball, too powerful for the keeper to catch as Gala regained their lead before half-time.

A fast start for Gala proved to be vital in retaining their lead into half time despite great counter attacking football on display from Tynecastle and a revival later in the half that led to them scoring the equaliser.

Tynecastle manage to create early chances through Byrne whose deep cross can’t be turned into the net by Samoila. They eventually found the goal they had been looking for after just five minutes of the second half. Good play down the left flank saw the ball fall to Byrne just inside the box, who side-footed the ball into the side of the goal to get Tynecastle back into the game early in the second period.

It took just five more minutes for Tynie to find the back of the net for a third time as Moray Shields played in Byrne who slotted in his second of the game to give Tynecastle a well-deserved lead.

Tynecastle create more chances with Aidan O’Malley delivering a cross to Samoila who couldn’t convert the chance from close range.

Gala also came close with a long range effort from Shayne Bell that was saved by the diving goalkeeper into the path of Stisi who strikes the post from close range. Another chance this time by an overlapping run from the right back, Brodie Allen, whose cross was met by Fairgrieve, but just wide of the target. Fairgrieve got another chance as he smartly turned his man and slotted home a strike from inside the box into the bottom corner to get a merited equaliser to make the score 3-3 after an hour.

Gala scored again with only three minutes left to play as McClymont drove into the penalty area and squared the ball to oncoming attackers which creates a scramble that ended with Fraser Swan poking the ball in to grab a late goal to give his team the lead.

An instant response from Tynecastle occured as Struan Woodford’s clever work down the left saw a shot saved by the keeper. The shot rebounded into Jed Sneddon who made no mistake in firing the ball into the top left corner to draw them level in the dying embers of the game to force extra time.