Following two successive defeats Thornton 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 Andrew 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 stoor 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.

SM Electrical Services Hibs' Man of the Match – Ian Shanks

Kirriemuir Thistle: Whyte, McNaughton, Grant, Fairweather, Russell, Reid, McVicar, Winter, R.Kerrigan, Phillips, Cormack. Subs: Scott, Thompson, O.Kerrigan, Kettles, Diamond.

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

Referee: Mr W.Ferguson