Kirkcaldy took full advantage of this being the only Central League game played on Saturday to go three points clear at the top of the table.

They took the lead in the 12th minute through Chris Ireland who rose to head home Craig Smith’s corner-kick. The second came just two minutes later when Ireland was brought down in the area and he got up to stick away the penalty.

Ireland came close to his hat-trick with a free-kick that Mark Rowbotham was happy to tip over. From the resultant corner-kick, the ball eventually fell handy for Craig Smith to net from close range. The fourth goal came on the stroke of half-time and just about summed up Thornton’s luck (or lack of it!) this season. Stuart Gray struck a free-kick that was deflected straight to Scott Orrock and he wasted no time in shooting home.

Earlier in the day, Celtic had come back from three down to salvage a point at Kilmarnock but you just never felt that the Hibs could emulate that feat.

Kirkcaldy came close a few times to increasing their tally without success before the Hibs were at last able to force a save from Jason Curran. And it was a good one too after Lee White was denied when put through one on one with a pass from the Hibs’ new boy, Kris Maxwell. 

This lifted the spirits of the visitors and they eventually scored with two minutes to go. Kevin Wallace’s looping header came back off the bar and John Paul Burns was handily placed to shoot home. A minute later Maxwell reduced the deficit to two with a smartly taken goal.

Too little too late maybe but at least it showed they weren’t going down without a fight.

Kirkcaldy YMCA: Curran, Burt, Carr, Gray, Quinn, Smith, Orrock, Lally, Ireland, Wilson, Smith. Subs: Masson, McDonald, McNeil, Smart, Westwater, Giove, Gillespie

Referee: Mr C.Carr