Edinburgh University continued their promising run as they fought their way into the semi-finals of the Image Printers’ Cup with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Craigroyston.

From the outset, Edinburgh looked the stronger side; committed in defence and with real class up front, in the shape of Michael Hazeldine.

The game’s opening 15 minutes were quiet, with little excitement from the stands, but a flurry of goals soon ignited the excitement of the crowd. Captain Steve Maxwell showed both bravery and skill as he broke through the Craigroyston defence and played a one-two with Hazeldine before setting up Stewart Hogg, who fired home at the near post to put the home team in the driving seat.

However, Edinburgh’s lead was short-lived: two minutes later, Ruaraigh Scott attempted to halt a Craigroyston attack with a late and dangerous challenge inside the penalty area. The referee was left with little choice but to award a spot-kick to the away side, which was duly converted.

Nevertheless, Edinburgh were soon back on top. The Craigroyston defence failed to clear their lines from a corner-kick in the 20th minute and were fittingly punished by a redeeming Scott, whose shot found the roof of the visiting team’s net.

The reminder of the half was characterized by erratic and sporadic attacks from both teams. Despite the commands of their ever energetic manager, Dougie Samuel, to “kill the game”, Edinburgh failed to build on their slender advantage.

Both teams appeared rejuvenated at the start of the second half, and Craigroyston showed a marked increased in commitment. However, this only resulted in two-footed lunges abounding, gaining the visitors two bookings, as they found few chinks in the Edinburgh defence’s armour.

Edinburgh found real rhythm on the hour mark, with Scott seeing his effort rebound off the upright after some neat build-up play, and Hazeldine began to show his class.

In the 65th minute, Jamie Redman whipped in a fine ball from the right-hand side and Hazeldine managed to get enough power and accuracy behind his header, from a difficult position, to make it 3-1 to Edinburgh.

Craigroyston tried to increase their attacking options with two substitutions in the 70th minute, but to no avail, as the Edinburgh midfield, held together by Steve Irvine and Stewart Hogg, remained in control.

The 82nd minute saw the match’s finest example of individual quality. Despite being held back in the box, Hazeldine managed to break through the challenges and shirt-tugs of three defenders to chip the ball over the keeper and into the top left-hand corner. Craigroyston’s last flames of hope had been extinguished; nonetheless, they kept fighting to the last.

Five minutes later, Hogg charged down the right wing and played a low cross into the Craigroyston penalty area. The ball was met with an impressive diving header by Hazeldine to beat the keeper for the third time in 20 minutes.

Edinburgh will be delighted with this performance, which takes them into the semi-finals on the back of a goal-rich winning streak. Post-match, however, Dougie Samuel was keen to stress that it was the clean sheet in the second-half rather than the five goals which pleased him the most.