'It was very, very harsh' - Thornton Hibs boss Craig Gilbert disputes penalty awarded to Luncarty in his side's cup final defeat

With the scores level at 1-1 after Hibs’ Jamie McNeish had equalised Ben Scarborough’s opener, Luncarty won a spot kick for Stuart Drummond’s challenge on an attacker, Rhys Davies going on to convert from 12 yards. But Gilbert wasn’t happy with the award.

“The ball was going out of play on the right hand side,” the long-serving gaffer told the Fife Free Press. “Stuart was chasing it, ushered it out, their guy’s tried to keep it in play, they’ve both kind of collided, tripped and fallen to the ground.

"The ref’s pointed to the spot which I think was very, very harsh, very, very soft.

"Now I’m getting reports that the challenge happened outside the box so we feel kind of hard done by by the decision made.

"Stuart’s devastated that the decision went against him.

"The linesman was away over the other side so couldn't really see it.

"Stuart's been with me for seven years and has been tremendous for me in that time. He's been a rock all season.”

With one goal for each side then coming via Davies’s second goal and Garry Thomson’s brilliant free-kick, it wasn’t to be for Hibs much to Gilbert’s chagrin.

"It’s hard to take,” he added. “That team were there for the taking but it just wasn’t to be.

"We beat better teams – Leith and Crossgates – getting to the final but if you don’t perform in finals then you’re going to lose.

"Our boys were below par.

"It’s great getting to finals. You can play all your days and never get to a cup final.

"It’s great the run we’ve been on but we just couldn’t finish it off.

"We are still in another cup and still trying to get promoted so there’s a lot to play for this year.”