The lovely facilities Fernieside have built for their club members were greatly appreciated on a day when every player was well and truly a 'muddy marvel'! But the clean, hygienic and modern facilities at this club's home ground were ideal and the players were able to change in to dry and warm clothes in the excellent changing facilities after the game. Toilet facilities are also excellent at Fernieside and so, too, are the provisions for refreshments and food. What a credit these facilities are to the hard-working committee of this club.

The home side were up against in this cup tie, with Tynecastle from a higher division, but that did not deter the Fernieside players having a real go at the more fancied visiting outfit. What a great show they put up, too, with the result in doubt until a late two-goal burst in the second half by Tynecastle put the game beyond the gallant Fernieside.

The challenges in this very competitive cup clash were 'couthy' to say the least, with excellent match referee, Jim McGinley, acting with commendable swiftness and fairness to defuse a flare-up midway through the second half. The first goal of the game went to Tynecastle in the 4th minute, with the well-placed match official awarding the visiting team a goal after he adjudged the ball to have crossed the Fernieside goal-line in a goalmouth scramble.

Thomas Carr it was who was given the credit for the opening goal, while the Fernieside contingent claimed the ball had not in fact crossed the line! But the award stood and it was a real lucky break for Tynecastle as Fernieside had made a very good start to the game and they did not deserve to be behind.

However, it took a great save from home goalie, Daniel Marinello, to deny the good Tynecastle No 9, Craig Healey, a second goal. Then, in another raid by the visiting side, Ruraidh Donaldson fired a great shot just over the bar. When played switched to the other end of the rain-lashed pitch, the Tynecastle keeper, Ryan Crosbie, blocked a net-bound shot from Paul McGinity with his legs, diverting the ball away for a corner. But the home side were not to be denied and back they came for McGinity to smack a great shot past Crosbie from 18yds to make the score 1-1, and deservedly so!

Play raged back and forward, with some heavy challenges for the ball in midfield. Fernieside kept digging in and they fought for every ball and their due reward came when Ross Davies leathered a wonderful shot in to the roof of the Tynecastle net to make the score 2-1 in favour of the home side. But that great strike was the forerunner of more to come and it was the Tynecastle oufit that were celebrating when Donaldson flashed a great near post header in to the Fernieside net after a corner on the left to make it 2-2 at the break.

On the restart, Tynecastle stepped up the pace of the game and they went in front whne the speedy Healey broke away to outpace his marker and hammer a great shot past Marinello to put his side in front at 3-2. Tynecastle enjoyed a good spell after that and when Healey broke away on his own again to score another great solo effort and make it 4-2, the game looked to be over.

But the battling Fernieside players had other ideas and back they hit back at Tynecastle to win a penalty when Liam Stevenson was chopped down in the box. The Fernieside player got back up on his feet to send the ball in to the opposite corner of the diving keeper to reduce the deficit to 4-3. This cracking game did not let up after that with tremendous commitment from both sides. Tynecastle recovered from giving away a spot kick and Mickey Elder saw a great effort go just wide of the Fernieside goal.

As the pressure on the home goal mounted, Tyencastle broke through again, but Kieran Watson's shot was blocked by Marinello when a goal looked likely. But the next goal was only delayed and it was Watson who fired home a fifth goal for Tynecastle in the closing stages of this cracker of a game. The visiting side were not done, however, and Elder is was who completed the scoring in the last minute to make it 6-3.

In a pre-match prediction, Tynecastle coach, Ricky Graham, said: "Whenever Ian Mackay covers one of our games, we get beat!" Not this, time, Ricky! Tynecastle were the better team and they fully deserved their win, but the home side look as if they can go on to become a very good team, too. The quality of their passing and their total commitment to the game was great to see. They look as if they will make significant improvement in the months ahead.

Fernieside BC - Daniel Marinello, Adam Hunter, Robbie Ormiston, Calllum Kerr, Daniel Garraham, Marc Petretti, Ross Warner, Aiden Tuohy, Liam Stevenson, Ross Davies, Jack McGowan, Paul McGinity, Michael McNicol, Andy Hinds, Conner Pontone.

Tynecastle FC - Ryan Crosbie, Robbie Liddle, Dylam McLaughon, Kieran McKenna, Alasdair Simpson, Steven Purvis, Thomas Carr, Ruraidh Donaldson, Ross Yeoman, Mikey Elder, Craig Healey, Darren Leslie, Darren Penicuik, Kieran Watson, Callum Curry.