Kirriemuir 0-4 Thornton Hibs: Shields scores first goal in three years

Following two successive defeats the Hibs got back to winning ways and as an added bonus kept a clean sheet too.

The first half was goal-less, the closest thing being an Adam Drummond rocket from 20 yards that smashed off the inside of the upright.

The second half had barely started when the Hibs’ supporters were treated to a rare sight – a goal from Jimmy Shields, his first since August 2016.

It came when he got on the end of Stuart Drummond’s deft head-flick to bundle the ball over the line from close range.

Stewart Russell passed up a great opportunity to equalise in the 80th minute when he headed Ryan Winter’s corner kick over the bar from close range, and he was made to rue this miss just four minutes later as Thornton doubled their lead through their top-scorer, Garry Thomson, who lobbed the ball over the out-rushing Macallan Whyte.

With two minutes remaining, Kirrie skipper, Ross Grant, was rather harshly red-carded after bringing down Raymond Crichton on the edge of the penalty area with the home support and players not slow to vent their anger towards the referee.

Ian Hepburn took the resultant free-kick that struck the defensive wall and rebounded straight back to Andy Adam who smashed the ball low into the bottom corner of the net.

When the referee awarded Thornton a penalty-kick in the last minute after Crichton’s shot struck the arm of Ryan Kerrigan this was too much for Kevin McNaughton who was sent-off for ‘advising’ the man in red what he thought of his performance.

When the dust had settled Thomson netted from the spot to give the Hibs a win that was maybe not quite as convincing as the scoreline would suggest.

Thornton Hibs: Costello, S.Drummond, A.Drummond, Shields, Shanks, Orrock, Keatings, Hepburn, Crichton, Thomson, Adam. Subs: Millar, Coleman, D.Anthony, Dursley, Warrender.