Although Kirkcaldy’s trialist goalkeeper, Barry McKinnon, conceded four goals, he was, by a country mile, their best player because without him the margin of defeat could’ve been much greater.
 
That the first-half finished goal-less was down to the exploits of McKinnon who made a plethora of outstanding saves even bursting one of his boots in the process.
 
How ironic then that it was he that conceded the penalty from which Chris Ireland rattled home the opener from the spot in the 51st minute.

Mathew Gay extended this lead in the 62nd minute with a deft flick and with two minutes remaining, Gay made it three as his powerful drive from the angle fairly zinged into the net.

In stoppage time, Gay turned provider with a clever lay-off that Kris Maxwell (in his first appearance since October) acrobatically hooked into the net.
 
And so Thornton left Kirkcaldy with a better result than 55 years previous almost to the day when they drew 1-1 with St Andrews United in the semi-final of The Scottish Cup at Stark’s Park in front of around 16,000 spectators.
 
Strathore Plant Hire Man of the Match – Mathew Gay
 
Kirkcaldy YMCA: McKinnon, Grainger, Gray, Byrne, Habib, Ormiston, L.Robertson, McManus, Macrae, Matthew, Denton. Subs: McNeish, Kirton, Ramsay, Mauangazira, Kinninmonth.