Sorry Saints unable to cope with nine-goal Hibs - Hibs 9-2 St Johnstone 28 August 1976

HIBS hit the goal trail with a vengeance when St Johnstone were blasted by a second-half goal rush. Five goals came in a 12 minute spell after the interval, with young Lindsay Muir netting a quick double.

It was Muir who provided the first flash of excitement for Hibs. He took a return pass from Arthur Duncan and blasted a 25-yarder against the crossbar.

It wasn't all Hibs, though. McGregor had a good attempt blocked for Saints and then he and a certain John Lambie cut the Hibs defence open with a superb one-two.

The Easter Road men made the breakthrough in 33 minutes when Ally Macleod forced the ball home after Arthur Duncan's low corner was knocked on by John Blackley.

The second arrived in 42 minutes when John Brownlie netted from the penalty spot after Duncan's pass to Macleod was handled in the box.

And Hibs put the outcome beyond doubt with three goals in the first six minutes of the second half.

This sequence began in 48 minutes when Fyfe was hauled down by Thomson in the box and Brownlie duly scored his second penalty of the match. Two minutes later, Des Bremner collected a Blackley pass and sent a superb right-foot shot past Robertson from the edge of the box.

Hibs made it five in 51 minutes when Aly Scott volleyed home after Saints failed to clear.

The goal-spree continued at the other end, as slack play by Brownlie allowed Sellars to lob home for Saints in 54 minutes.

But Hibs soon rediscovered their authority and fired in two goals within a minute around the hour mark.

A pacy delivery from Macleod on the right was headed back into the middle by Duncan and Muir finished it off with aplomb. Only seconds later, another Duncan cross provided Muir with his own second goal and Hibs' seventh.

Although Hibs were well on top, the defence suffered another moment of sloppiness as Saints grabbed their second of the match in 71 minutes. Thomson was the man who scored it when he headed home after Sellars nodded Lambie's corner into the danger area.

The Easter Road side then romped 8-2 ahead when good work from Brownlie and Ally Scott set up Macleod to score arguably the best goal of the game with 15 minutes to go. The rout was over when Duncan netted four minutes from the end.

Hibs: McDonald, Brownlie, Smith, Bremner, Stewart, Blackley, Fyfe, MacLeod, Scott, Muir, Duncan. Subs: Stanton, McGhee.