Thornton Hibs boss Craig Gilbert hails returning stars after 4-1 home win v Haddington Athletic

Hibs – who had lost their previous three league games ending with a 6-1 thumping at Camelon Juniors last Wednesday – bounced back emphatically thanks to goals by Jack Wilson (2), Jamie Smith (own goal) and Daniel McNab, with Wilson also seeing a penalty kick saved on 53 minutes with the score at 2-0.

"On Saturday it was magic, said delighted gaffer Gilbert.

"The groundsman did well to get the game on with the bad weather and the pitch was looking fantastic.

“Four changes including Stuart Drummond coming back as a holding midfielder after two or three months out with an achilles problem.

"He has also just got engaged to his girlfriend after proposing in Greece and he had massive work commitments.

"But that achilles injury put him out for a couple of months.

"It was really good to have him back. It makes a massive difference when he’s playing.

"He’s six feet two, he’s been here for 10-and-a-half years, he’s a good talker, he pushes the team up 10, 15 yards going forward.

"It was a brilliant three points. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

"He had a massive influence and it’s great getting players like him back.

"Also it was a great two goals for Jack Wilson – who we recently re-signed from Dundonald Bluebell – and it’s great to have him back in the side playing at centre-forward. He’s a big, strong lad, another six feet plus guy.

"And Daniel McNab got his 50th goal for Thornton after coming on in the second half. He did well when he came on and it was a good goal he scored.

"It was an excellent performance from the whole 11 boys. I changed the shape a wee bit because I know they play 4-3-3 and their left-back likes to push on constantly.

"This is the second time we’ve played them having drawn nil-nil down there in another good performance."

Last weekend’s win sees Thornton in 10th place on 14 points from 14 matches, ahead of hosting Preston Athletic in a home league game this Saturday which kicks off at 2pm at Memorial Park.

The victory provided some relief after a disappointing recent run which had also seen Gilbert’s team beaten 1-0 at Dundonald Bluebell on October 14 before their humbling at Camelon.

He added: “What a difference three days makes.

"We had gone through to Camelon and got scalped, but to be fair we didn’t play that badly.

"Going one-nil down maybe the keeper could have gone better. Two-nil, the goal looked massively offside.

"So going into half-time it really should have been one-nil instead of two but they’re a good side.

"We tried to press by putting forwards on but every time they broke they scored. So it was just one of those games.

"Fingers crossed last weekend is a wee turning point. We have reached 14 points and we’ll try to get to 20 points as soon as we can and take it from there."