Hibernian 4 Falkirk 3: Hibernian manager Pat Fenlon hailed the character of his players after they pulled themselves back from the abyss to reach their second successive William Hill Scottish Cup final with a 4-3 victory over Falkirk.
Hibs were staring at another Hampden humiliation to follow on from last year’s 5-1 final defeat by Hearts when Falkirk went three ahead inside 30 minutes through goals from teenagers Craig Sibbald and Jay Fulton plus 21-year-old Blair Alston. The afternoon almost got worse before it got better as Falkirk striker Lyle Taylor was clean through late in the first half only for Ben Williams to save.
Hibs then embarked on a stunning comeback, inspired by the direct running and pace of teenage winger Alex Harris, who pulled one back from long range in the 51st minute. Hibs passed up numerous chances, including a Leigh Griffiths penalty, before the striker soon made amends and substitute Eoin Doyle sent the game into extra-time.
With the game five minutes from penalties, Griffiths powered a 25-yard strike into the top corner to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Fenlon took his share of the blame for their abject first-half display and added: “We can’t give ourselves that sort of a start in matches but the players, from half-time onwards, were tremendous. Even when we missed the penalty and you think maybe it’s not going to be our day, we showed real character to keep going.
“There is massive heart in there. They got a reaction out of themselves, as well as us. To come from 3-0 behind in the semi-final of a cup is a tremendous achievement and it has got us to a final for a second year in a row which is fantastic for everybody, the supporters as well, because they have had some hard times here. I’m sure they have gone away in good form.”
Some did not go away in high spirits. Dozens, probably hundreds, who are still bearing the mental scars from that derby thrashing, made for the exit after the third goal.
“If I had a way I might have walked out myself at that stage,” Fenlon said. “I can understand that, I don’t have any problem with that at all. The ones that stayed were fantastic, they backed us and carried us through like they have done in all the games in the cup this season.”
Fenlon might not have had much choice in leaving Hibernian if the second half had followed in the same vein as the first following the club’s failure to make the top six of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. But he dismissed the idea the group in general were playing for their futures after the break.
“I think they were playing for pride,” he said. “They let themselves down in the first half, we let the supporters down. And that’s me included, I’m not throwing that at the players. I maybe got the team wrong initially but we got things right at half-time and the players showed tremendous desire to win the game.”
Fenlon had recalled Scott Robertson and Paul Cairney in his 4-5-1 formation but neither saw second-half action and Hibs only started playing after Doyle came on to join Griffiths up front. When asked what made the difference, Fenlon said: “I just thought we worked harder. Putting Eoin up probably gave them a different problem — we didn’t let them out as much and put a little bit of pressure on their back four.
“Plus young Danny (Handling) and Alex got wider and caused them problems. We got the first goal and got momentum.” Despite the ultimate elation, Fenlon admitted the afternoon had been an ordeal. Hibs also had a strong penalty claim denied and a Griffiths goal contentiously disallowed for offside. “It was an unbelievable game,” he said. “I have never been through anything like that before and never want to again.”
The semi-final was quite an introduction to the job for Gary Holt, who assumed control of the Falkirk team for the first time following his first appointment as manager. And despite coming so close to a final, the former Kilmarnock and Norwich midfielder savoured the occasion.
“I said at the end of the game, that’s why we are in football, to experience these occasions," Holt said. "I loved it. It’s probably one of the best days, well, apart from my wedding, the best day of my life.”
Holt added: “It took another wonder strike to beat us. I don’t see us as losers, I see a lot of positives that they can take out of it. They don’t see it at the moment, they are hurting and probably thinking I am talking rubbish, but it’s good life experience to get to these occasions.
“You want to win but you also learn from defeats as well.”
Holt, who fielded five teenagers, added: “I am probably the proudest man in the world.”
The new Bairns manager admitted he had expected a second-half onslaught.
“I tried to get it over to the boys at half-time that Hibs were going to come out all guns blazing and to stand up to the test,” he said. But it wasn’t to be. They got a good goal and it probably came at the wrong time. “Maybe 10 minutes later the nerves might have settled and they could have believed in themselves a little bit more, because I think they all got taken a little bit by shock that they were 3-0 up.”
