How Thornton Hibs sealed promotion after conceding a goal after 33 seconds!

Despite going 1-0 down after just 33 seconds at Armadale Thistle last Saturday when Josh Gillespie smashed home Craig Baillie's perfect cross, Thornton hit back to win thanks to goals by Robbie Horn and top scorer Garry Thomson’s 30th of the season.

"We would never have thought we’d be promoted with four games to spare,” boss Gilbert told the Fife Free Press. “Especially after the first game of the season when we got beaten 6-0 at Dalkeith Thistle.

"But boys have come back from injury and suspension and we’ve recruited really, really well this year. I don’t think I would have got that recruitment if we’d got promoted last year.

"It’s been very, very good, a great run. Two games lost in the league all season is fantastic. The boys were buzzing on Saturday. The celebrations were good.

"We went back from Armadale to the Station Hotel – our sponsor – so the boys had two or three pints just to celebrate, just to say ‘well done’."

Despite the happy final outcome for Thornton, they could not have started in a worse fashion at Armadale!

"We’ve put it back to the goalie,” Gilbert said. “The goalie’s kicked it away, we’ve lost the ball in the middle of the pitch and the boys swept down the right hand side sent over a cross and they’ve scored it well, into the top corner after 33 seconds.

"It was just one of those unforeseen moments that hasn’t really happened this year.

"But after that it was pleasing for the rest of the half because we were on the front foot and they just sat back in and tried to get us on the break.

"The equaliser was a great goal, Robbie Horn heading in a Stuart Drummond cross.

"Armadale were playing it tight with 11 men behind the ball and their player/manager Colin Strickland – who is a very good, experienced player, went off injured.

"In the second half we had 16 efforts on goal, it was better, we pressed a bit further up.

"Armadale are going for promotion as well so you would think they’d have come out more to try and get a goal, but not really.

"We got the second goal from Garry Thomson again and he’s been magnificent.

"Our goalkeeper Calum Sutherland has taken a by kick, it went right over the two centre-halves, Garry took it down from the clouds, brought it down, went round the goalie and put it in the empty net for a brilliant goal.”

On Hibs’ prospects when playing in the first division next season, Gilbert added: “It’s going to be harder because probably every team will be able to beat each other.

"The level goes up a notch, but we have beaten teams from the first division in cup competitions over the last couple of years, although we’ll have to be on our game every single week.

"We’re not going to be winning 5-0, 6-0, 7-0 so it will be a difficult task.

"But we’re confident that the young guys we’ve brought in are good and the experienced boys will still be there. All the guys are signed for next year.”