Match reporter: JOHN LAING

There's no doubt that this third round King Cup match was a hard watch with a good number of supporters preferring to watch Scotland defeating France in the Six Nations on their phones!

To be fair there were some close things – former Hibs' striker Andy McCallion saw a shot deflected wide then Joe Kinninmonth watched his free-kick take the paint off the outside of the post.

Macaulay Jarrett tipped a Ryan Heatherill effort over but really these were the only notes in your reporter's pad when the ref blew for half-time.

Early in the second-half Ryan Daly shot weakly wide then Lewis Bennett – on his Hibs' debut after missing the entire season because of injury – had a shot with almost his first touch of the ball that Sean Martin pushed wide for a fruitless corner kick.

More than one spectator began to ask if this game would go to extra-time or penalties because if it was the former option then the ground would probably have emptied!

In the end neither was required because in the words of the Hibs' motto – 'Keep Believing' – Shaun Keatings sent in a 91st minute corner-kick that eventually found Sean Cunningham who smashed the ball home then three minutes later substitute Dean McMillan converted Kinninmonth's cross from close range for his first goal since February 2022 to complete the 'smash n' grab'!

Sunnydale Travel/ Station Hotel Hibs Man of the Match: Lewis Bennett

Newburgh: Martin, Tracey, Sneddon, Taylor, Roughead, O.McCallion, Daly, Campbell, A.McCallion, Bannerman, Heatherill. Subs: Kyles, Martin, Twaddell, Leadbetter, Beattie, McNally, Duff.

Thornton Hibs: Jarrett, Rodger, McGair, Drummond, Cunningham, Grierson, Black, Coleman, McNab, Kinninmonth, McBay. Subs: Keatings, McMillan, Bennett.

Referee: Mr R. Church-Michael

Match statistics:
Attempts at goal - NJ 5 TH 12
Attempts on target - NJ 3 TH 4
Attempts blocked - NJ 2 TH 0
Corners - NJ 3 TH 4
Offside - NJ 4 TH 2
Free kicks conceded - NJ 6 TH 12
Yellow Cards - NJ 0 TH 6
Red Cards - NJ 0 TH 0

Statto's Corner:
* Coming on as a substitute late in the first half, Shaun Keatings made his 150th appearance for Thornton Hibs.
* Lewis Bennett made his debut for the Hibs and was only denied a goal by a great save. Became the 211th player used by Craig Gilbert.
* Sean Cunningham's superbly taken goal took him into double figures in his Hibs' careeer (from 129 appearances).
* Dean McMillan scored only his fourth goal for Thornton (from 240 appearances); the last in February 2022 against Ormiston Primrose.
* Macaulay Jarrett and his defence recorded a second consecutive clean sheet. Mac now has seven in 21 appearances this season.