Formartine United bowed out of the SPFL Trust Trophy after a dramatic penalty shoot-out with Hibernian B at Meadowbank.
Malik Zaid converted the winning kick after Graeme Rodger had missed and Paul Campbell had seen his spot-kick saved by Max Boruc.
Scott Lisle had an early chance for the Highland League side but Boruc touched his left-foot shot over the crossbar.
Hibs hit back immediately but Ewen MacDonald was well positioned to save a netbound shot from Rudi Molotnikov.
Aidan Combe had Boruc on his toes midway through the first half after Paul Campbell had been fouled by Darren McGregor but his free-kick cleared the crossbar.
Victory on penalties for the #HibsDevSquad this evening, with Josh Landers scoring our only goal in a 1⃣-1⃣ draw in normal time.#SPFLTrustTrophy https://t.co/nWmgzwBODZ pic.twitter.com/2lQ5rz2ADg
— Hibernian Football Club (@HibernianFC) August 2, 2023
Molotnikov came close again direct from a free-kick late in the first half but the ball slipped narrowly wide.
It was end-to-end stuff and Lewis Wilson came close at the other end with a header that drifted wide from a corner-kick.
The breakthrough for Formartine came three minutes before the break when Daniel Park lashed a 20-yard free-kick past Boruc.
But the lead lasted only five minutes as Hibs equalised in first-half injury-time when Josh Landers headed home from Alfie Smith’s corner.
Hibs came out of the blocks quickly after half-time and Robbie Hamilton swiped a 20-yard shot wide of MacDonald’s post and then the goalkeeper had to get down smartly to keep out Zaid.
The hosts were indebted to Boruc for keeping them level midway through the second half when he leapt to keep out Park’s 18-yard free-kick.
Then Jake Stewart was not far away with a right-foot shot which had the goalkeeper beaten.
Landers hit the Formartine crossbar with a left-foot shot from outside the box in the dying minutes as it went to the shoot-out.
