Hibs nostalgia: Recalling Lawrie Reilly's late winner as Tottenham are downed in 1953 Coronation Cup

Back on May 12, 1953, Hibs defeated Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 to progress into the semi-finals of the Coronation Cup.

The Coronation Cup was a one-off tournament to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, between four English and four Scottish clubs, held in Glasgow in May 1953. This event was held in very high regard by clubs, as at the time it allowed teams to test themselves against teams from another country in the days before European football.

Four Scottish clubs – Aberdeen, Celtic, Hibs and Rangers – came up against a quartet of English teams in Arsenal, Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

After the first match between Hibs and Spurs was tied 1-1, the replay took place on May 12, 1953.

Below is the match report from that night at Easter Road ...

Hibs players danced with delight when Lawrie Reilly, 30 seconds from time, headed Bobby Johnstone’s cross into the net and gained his side a place in the Coronation Cup quarter-finals.

Those of the 15,000 crowd who chose to watch to the bitter end were also satisfied with the Scottish club’s success, and the pressmen, who had no option but remain, sincerely thanked Reilly for saving them from an ordeal of extra time.

So dreadful had been the standard of play that any more of it might have had reasonable men doing something daft. Most of the responsibility for one of the worst football matches we have ever seen was Tottenham Hotspur’s. They started at half-speed, obviously not relishing the bare, bumpy playing pitch and the light ball and gradually became an unimaginative, careless XI.

Even though players such as Ramsey, Clarke, Burgess, and Medley were missing, the English club looked like a Division C club and not one that only a year ago were runners-up in the English League First Division.

Hibernian, though they were far from their best, were so superior that the time they took to administer the knock-out blow was astonishing.

Splendid goalkeeping by Reynolds and dour and fortune-blessed stonewalling by his backs and centre half delayed the end and so too did rash and ill-directed shooting and heading by the Hibs forwards.

In the welter of bad passing and miskicking Baker, a right back who placed his clearances more accurately than his own forwards made their constructive efforts, was Tottenham’s only distinguished outfield player.

The forwards, who switched positions so often that no one seemed to know who was who, were the most disappointing English line ever to have played on a Glasgow ground.

Hibs had a fine centre half in Hugh Howie, two industrious wing halves, and easily the two best forwards, Reilly and Eddie Turnbull.

Reilly headed his side’s equalising goal in 60 minutes from Jock Govan’s free kick - McClellan had begun the scoring in 28 minutes - and was far away the most lively player afield.

Reilly was much too lively just after Tottenham’s goal, however.

After he had claimed a penalty kick and been properly refused he made a lunge at Nicholson and was promptly “booked” by the referee who, despite the crowd’s displeasure, was entirely correct.

Rules are rules whether the match concerned is an elementary school class match or a nationwide senior event.

Some day our Internationalists may acknowledge that.

Hibs went on to beat Newcastle 4-0 in the last four, but lost 2-0 to Celtic in the final. A crowd of 117,000 packed out Hampden for the match.

Hibs team to face Tottenham Hotspur: Younger, Govan, Paterson, Buchanan, Howie, Combe, Smith, Johnstone, Reilly, Turnbull, Ormond.