Hibs gave a good account of themselves against the current East Superleague leaders.
 
Things didn't look too great for Hibs when Kelty opened the scoring within seconds of the kick-off; Brian Ritchie heading in at the far post. Daniel McNab hit a free kick narrowly past the upright before Kelty doubled their lead in the 25th minute. There was more than a hint of offside as Neil McCabe applied the finish and the referee really got into the festive spirit with Kelty's third as everyone other than the man that counted could see Ritchie was the proverbial "miles offside" before he crossed for Devon Jacobs to net from close range.
 
In between the goals, Hibs lost Garry Thomson snr following a high challenge by Shaun Greig that would normally warrant more than the minimal telling off he received.
 
Hibs pulled a goal back in the 36th minute, and this one will be right up there as a contender for 'goal of the season'. Garry Thomson jnr picked the ball up around 35 yards from goal and skipped past his marker before curling the ball into the postage stamp corner.
 
Early in the second half, former Hibs' player Murray Carstairs headed in from a corner to make it 4-1 and the game appeared to be all over. Hibs had other ideas and they came more into the game with a series of good passing moves. The referee eventually produced a yellow card for Tom Courts as he blocked Garry Thomson jnr on the edge of the box. Chris Ireland stepped up to fire the free kick low beyond Kyle Marley. It was not a particularly good night for Kelty's manager Courts and he reduced the deficit to one in the 77th minute when he deflected Garry Thomson jnr's powerful shot beyond Marley.
 
Ryan Linton had a couple of excellent saves to keep Hibs in it, and the last action saw Chris Ireland fire in another free kick that Marley held.
 
Thornton Hibs: Linton, Drummond, McMillan, McGowan, Shanks, Coleman, McNab, Strachan, Ireland, Thomson jnr, Thomson snr. Subs: M.Robertson, Burns.