Lawrie Reilly: 9-3 win was a fitting tribute

A KNEE injury cruelly cut short Lawrie Reilly’s career at the age of 29, but the club he spent his entire career with – Hibernian – honoured him with a testimonial match months after he had been forced to hang up his boots.

A match between Hibs and an International Select, largely comprising Scots who were playing in the English league, including his Famous Five team-mate Bobby Johnstone, was arranged for 15 December, 1958, but sadly for Lawrie a terrible storm decimated the gate, with few turning out at Easter Road for what was effectively a friendly. Those who stayed away missed a treat, as The Scotsman reported the following day...

Hibernian 9, International Select 3

THE 6,500 people who braved the storm to go along to Easter Road last night could not have had better reward for their bravery. Hibernian brought out their very best for the Lawrie Reilly testimonial match against an international Select XI.

From start to finish they were in complete command of the game, and the football was positively brilliant – the evidence, if any were needed, being in the 9-3 score for Hibernian.

It would be unfair to pick out any individual player for special praise. Gibson continued to impress, while Ormond had possibly his best game so far this season. Smith also must be feeling pleased with himself, particularly as he broke his policy of no Monday night matches to play in this game. There were no real weaknesses in the side.

The Select can only be judged on their defensive qualities, and with the loss of nine goals they can hardly be praised. However, McNaught, Peacock, and to a lesser extent Grant, all worked hard. In front, Johnstone and Liddell were the only men to supply any threat to the Hibernian defence.

It took Johnstone only a matter of seconds to prove that he had not forgotten the layout at Easter Road. After McKenzie had done some good work on the right wing, Liddell took a corner, and the little inside man rose gracefully to glance the ball past Leslie.

Ormond and Gibson were combining well and on two occasions the winger proved that his right foot was no ornament, when he tested Farm. Turnbull also brought a great save from the Blackpool goalkeeper when he shot from 25 yards.

It was all Hibs then, and Turnbull paved the way for the Hibs’ equaliser. He sent Gibson through and the inside man’s shot was turned round for a corner by Farm. Smith placed it in the goalmouth and in the resultant scramble Ormond was on the spot to prod home.

In 30 minutes, after fine work by Smith, Fox sent in a great shot, which was well saved by Farm. Hibs were dominating play now, and the Select attacked only sporadically. Turnbull put Hibs ahead with a free kick, when Farm seemed to slip when going out for the ball. Baker then drew Farm out of goal and Peacock appeared on the line to head the centre’s shot clear. Minutes later, Smith took a hand in things. He drew the defence in masterly fashion before leaving Baker with the simplest of tasks to make it 3-1 for Hibs.

Ormond headed narrowly past, and Baker sent a hard shot just over. The football was more than compensating for the miserable weather. The Select came back into the game, and Leslie clutched a Mudie shot after it had rebounded from some defenders; then Smith had a typical dribble, and Gibson was only foiled at the last minute.

Following this there was a brilliant Hibs move in which the ball was flicked from man to man before Gibson was caught offside. In a Select breakaway, Mudie was on the spot to reduce arrears when he connected with a cross from Liddell, which Leslie smothered but could not stop rolling over the line.

In the 53rd minute, Baker made it 4-2 for Hibs with one of his specialities – a run from midfield and a low shot from 15 yards.

Again Hibs attacked and again they scored, Ormond emulating Baker’s effort. The Select came back into the attack and Young brought down Liddell. From the resulting penalty kick, Johnstone made it 5-3 – all this within the first ten minutes of the restart.

But Hibs soon took over again and Gibson was the sharp-shooter, with no fewer than five shots in the space of a minute, all either blocked or turned away for corners. However, it was Fox who did the damage with a smart shot from a Smith cross after 74 minutes to make it 6-3. Johnstone replied for the Select with a 20-yard shot well saved by Leslie. Then came Hibs’ seventh goal; Preston came up to take advantage of the almost continuous pressure and slammed a high shot home from outside the penalty area.

Just to cap things, Smith took time off from laying on chances to score one himself. A great left-foot shot gave Hibs their eighth goal. He then provided an encore by going through on his own to raise the total to nine. Select just had no answer to this kind of football.

Hibernian: Leslie, Young, McClelland, Turnbull, Paterson, Preston, Smith, Fox, Baker, Gibson, Ormond

International select: Farm (Blackpool), Grant (Hibs), McNaught (Raith), Docherty (Arsenal), McColl (Rangers), Peacock (Celtic), McKenzie (Partick), Fernie (Middlesborough), Mudie (Blackpool), Johnstone (Manchester City), Liddell (Liverpool)

Scorers: Hibs: Baker 2, Ormond 2, Smith 2, Fox, Preston, Turnbull. International select: Johnstone 2, Mudie

Referee: J Bissett.

Attendance: 6,500

Taken from the Scotsman