Indoor SPFL match marks completion of Oriam performance centre
Hibernian and Hearts development sides faced off in an historic indoor clash
It is not yet officially open, but the new sports performance centre for Scotland has already created a little bit of history.
Oriam, the £33m facility on Heriot-Watt University's campus west of Edinburgh, will provide a world class home for the nation's football and rugby teams, as well as the international netball, basketball and handball squads.
Its centrepiece is a huge 28m high full size arena for football and rugby, which on Tuesday played host to the highest level of competitive football to be played indoors in Scotland.
The Hibernian v Hearts SPFL Development League match christened the new facility in front of a crowd of more than 400 at Oriam.
Catriona McAllister, chief executive of the mulit-million pound complex, said: "It was absolutely thrilling. It has been a four process since we started our bidding process to get here.
"To launch with a Hearts v Hibs under-20s match - I don't think we could have asked for more."
The first recorded fully league sanctioned indoor match took place in the old Under-19 SPL league in 2010, when Motherwell's youths defeated Hamilton's 3-2 at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility in North Lanarkshire.
But the arrival of Oriam is set to make indoor matches a regular fixture in Scottish football, with Hibs taking up a season-long residence at the roofed arena.
Hibs coach Grant Murray said: "It is obviously different from what we are used to - that was the first competitive game I've been involved in that's been under a roof.
"But the surface and the facilities are fantastic and we are privileged to get to use it this season."