Haddington Athletic 2 Hibs Dev Squad 3

The Hibernian Development Squad got their 2025/26 pre-season campaign off to a winning start after defeating Haddington Athletic at Millfield Park. 

Luke Davidson, Adam Buckley and Zach Bruce got the goals as the youthful Dev Squad saw off their East of Scotland Premier Division opposition 3-2 on away soil. 

It was a quiet start to proceedings as both teams sought to gain control of the match, with Hibs pouncing on an error to open the scoring. 

After 11 minutes, a slack pass from Hi-His keeper Jamie Smith allowed Jamie McMurdo to quickly tee up Davidson, who made no mistake from point-blank range to fire low underneath the host’s number one. 

The Hibees’ initial lead would last only eight minutes, however, as the home side’s trialist number 10 coolly slotted in an equaliser after being played through from his fellow trialist forward partner.

Chances fell for both sides by the half-hour mark. Hibs goalkeeper Ryan Mallon was soon called upon to make a smothering stop, while Davidson curled a promising effort wide up the other end. 

In quick succession both teams would threaten at either end once more. Moments after Mallon was forced into a fantastic outstretched save, Davidson was denied superbly as his first-time volleyed effort was pushed wide by Smith. 

A well-worked short corner routine from Hibs would put them back in front. A targeted cross from McMurdo would be met by Buckley, who fought hard against a strong contest from his marker to bullet-header in our second. 

Darren McGregor’s young side came flying out the traps in the second 45, with Josh McDonald nearly finding the net with a thumping strike from 30 yards before McMurdo flashed one wide after cutting inside on his right. 

A third looked imminent as McMurdo was bundled over in the box just shy of the hour mark. However, our number nine’s well-placed and firmly struck penalty was spectacularly kept out by Haddington's substitute keeper Miko Komocki, who was at full stretch to thwart the spot kick. 

The top stop caused an immediate momentum shift, with a passing error in the Hibs midfield exploited within minutes of the penalty chance. After regaining possession high up the park, Hi-His attacker Ryan Quinn would thrash in his side’s second leveller of the game on 74 minutes.

Davidson was unfortunate not to have at least five goals in the match, and would have to settle for just one in the end. He was substituted after two identical 25-yard free-kicks of his own were excellently tipped over the bar by Komocki. 

Just when it appeared Komocki would not be bested, the Hibees grabbed their winner on 75 minutes. Fantastic, piercing play from two of our 15-year-old substitutes forced the path into the path of midfielder Bruce, who calmly fired in on the rebound to secure victory for the youngsters. 

Starting XI: Mallon, McSporran, Trialist, Buckley, McNeill, Bruce, Davidson, McDonald, McMurdo, Downie, Shankland.

Substitutes: Brown, Waldman, Thomson, Whiteside, McLeod, Ross, Trialist.