Edinburgh pay the penalty as cup curse continues

Birmingham celebrate their dramatic late equaliser

Image: Pablo Serrano Galvez

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In what has to go down as one of the most dramatic matches in BUSA football history, Birmingham progressed to the quarter finals after an epic encounter that was leveled four times, saw both teams reduced to ten men and was finally settled from the spot.

The drama began with less than a minute played, as Edinburgh goalkeeper Ross Harkness skewed a clearance into the path of Birmingham's Jack Leadbetter, who was left with a simple finish into an unmanned net. Seven minutes later Birmingham doubled their lead, John Cullen finishing powerfully from a fizzing cross from Craig Connor.

Two-nil down inside ten minutes and playing away from home, Edinburgh might have crumbled. Instead, they were spurred into action, fighting for possession and trying to get a grip in midfield. Their avenue back into the game came after a dubious foul was given against Birmingham's Marcel Simpson, when Jack Beesley's whipped ball was cleared only as far as Michael Hazeldine who made no mistake with the finish. Minutes later a long Edinburgh throw into the box caused more problems for Birmingham and the unfortunate Simpson, under pressure from Peder Beck-Friis, headed into his own net.

In dire need of inspiration, Birmingham found it in the work-rate of James Coulman, whose intelligent movement between defence and midfield allowed them to regain a foothold in the game. The home team began to dominate possession and five minutes before half-time they went in front again with arguably the day's finest goal. A long throw-in was flicked on and Cullen grabbed his second of the game with a stunning bicycle kick from twelve yards.

It seemed as though Birmingham would enter the break on top, but yet another twist was in store in this action-packed half when Stephen Maxwell met Jack Beesley's fine cross to head beyond Birmingham keeper Simon Lyn level the score at 3 - 3. Perhaps frustrated by his team's sloppy defending, Coulman allowed this frustration to get the better of him and reacted angrily when Edinburgh captain Jamie Redman clipped his heels. After a brief scuffle both Coulman and Hazeldine, who had waded in unnecessarily, were shown the red card before the half-time whistle.

Both teams started brightly after the break, with the best chances falling to Birmingham's strikers, but neither side was able to break the deadlock in a closely fought second half. Birmingham, desperate to get back in front, replaced left-back Temilade Ajimoko with striker Nick Williams before the start of extra time and their gamble almost paid off immediately. Simpson raced beyond Fraser Munro drilled a cross into the Edinburgh area but Cullen, although well-placed, was unable to find the finish.

That was the only real chance of the first period of extra time but the second proved to be much more lively. Edinburgh soon found themselves breaking with men to spare, and substitute Chris Woods picked out Liam Hughes in the area. Hughes' touch let him down but the tireless Andrew Cook arrived to slot the ball between Lyn's legs to make it 4 - 3 with just five minutes remaining.

The goal was met by a pitch invasion by Edinburgh's coaches and substitutes, as they celebrated what they thought was the winner. But there was more drama to come, as Andy Durnford received the ball straight from the kick-off, cut inside and unleashed a screamer that dipped into the top-left corner of Harkness' goal. Now Birmingham staged their own pitch invasion as supporters, players and coaches sprinted to congratulate the player who had replaced Craig Connor after ninety minutes. Both sides had chances to kill off the game, but Lyn pulled off an incredible double save from Beesley and Woods to earn Birmingham a well deserved draw.

There was to be final act, however, as the match went to penalties. The first two penalties were converted by Beesley and Cullen before Edinburgh's Stephen Maxwell saw his effort come back off the post, and Chris Godwin and Stuart Hagg brought the scores level at 2 - 2. Holt and Redman both missed chances to put their teams ahead as both penalties were saved, but Durnford then buried his spot-kick to tip the balance in Birmingham's favour. It was Lyn, however, who took the plaudits as he saved Hughes' penalty and sent Birmingham thought to the next round.

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