Garry sees off Seniors with hat-trick

A GARRY O’CONNOR hat-trick helped earn Hibs a 6-0 victory against East Seniors Premier Division team Craigroyston at St Mark’s Park last night.

Hibs also fielded Irish international goalkeeper Nick Colgan along with Canadian Paul Fenwick and striker Kevin Thomson.

It took Hibs only eight minutes to take the lead when Steven Whittaker hit a powerful 25-yard free-kick from outside the angle of the box low into the net.

Craigroyston struggled with the pace of the Hibs players, especially on the break, and midway through the first half found themselves on the back foot when Thomson set up O’Connor and the big striker hit the outside of the post with a fierce drive. It took him only another minute to score when he dispossessed Johnny Brannan 30 yards from goal and strode forward before rounding Jamieson and stroking the ball home.

O’Connor soon added a third when Gary Kennedy upended him inside the penalty box and he slammed home the resultant spot kick.

Ten minutes before half-time Darren Smith showed the Craigroyston defence a clean pair of heels as he sped through a gap to hit a low shot into the net from 12 yards.

O’Connor’s strength earned him his hat-trick when he bustled his way through to score from ten yards midway through the second half.

Hibs added a sixth with two minutes remaining when Alan Reid fed Nicky Weightman who scored despite the best efforts of Jamieson in the Craigroyston goal.

Craigroyston: Jamieson, Brannan, Robertson, Kennedy, Naylor, Ford, Burrell, Brown, Dougall, Craig, Carnie. Subs: Brownlie, Wright, Wylie, Cameron, Smith, Donnachie, Graham.

Hibs: Colgan, Cruickshanks, Whittaker, Baillie, Fenwick, Nicol, Smith, Shields, O’Connor, Thomson, Reid. Subs: Brown, O’Neill, Notman, Weightman.

Referee: David Manson