Title blow for Kelty

While the Berts were victorious Kelty Hearts, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Lochore Welfare and Dundonald Bluebell all lost.

Kelty Hearts 1,

Tayport 2.

A DREADFUL result for Hearts leaves them with a mountain to climb if they are to retain their East Super League title.

Tayport started the day at the foot of the table and Kelty were highly fancied to win this one and keep their title challenge going.

The opening stages of the game saw Tayport working hard to deny Hearts space and while it worked to a certain extent the home side still had chances and Paul Ritchie and Scott Dalziel came close for them.

Stuart Cargill was next to have a go for them but a goal would just not come while at the other end the visitors carved out a couple of half chances.

Goalless at the interval the home fans expected their team to take the game to Tayport in the second and they got the goal they wanted with a fine finish from Cargill with a spectacular overhead kick.

Hearts looked for a killer second but Tayport defended well and then they shocked the hosts by squaring things after some slack work by the home defence.

Then things got worse for Hearts when ‘Port took the lead, but Kelty came back strongly and there were chances to get a point out of the match but none were taken.

The result leaves Hearts on 46 points in fourth place but 11 behind leaders Bonnyrigg Rose with a game in hand.

Newtongrange Star 3,

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 1.

HAWS paid for some pretty slack work at the back in this Super League fixture in the Lothians.

After starting the game reasonably well Haws were punished for Rikki Dair’s pass being intercepted and the ball being squared into the box where it was slotted past Stuart Hall.

Hill of Beath were soon on the attack and Calum Adamson sent over a string of good crosses and from two of them Lewis McKenzie’s finishing was wild and opportunities were missed.

Haws were right in the game though then a minute from the break Star got their second when some indifferent defending saw the ball cannon up in the air and over Hall.

The visitors saw plenty of the ball at the start of the second period but not goals came and in 65 minutes Newtongrange got in a shot which came down off the bar and the ball was knocked over the line.

Three down, Haws were out of it but they kept battling away and Greg Smith’s volley roared inches wide but they got one back with five minutes left.

Adamson supplied the chance and Smith finished well but it did nothing to change the result which puts Star in seventh, three ahead of Haws.

Hill of Beath manager Bobby Wilson was unhappy with some of the defending by his side: “We gave away two very avoidable goals in the first-half and in this division you cannot afford to do that.

“It was a blow to lose that one but we have six games left and our aim is to try and win as many as we can to get into the top six.”

Dundonald Bluebell 0,

Montrose Roselea 1.

A STRANGE day in the East Premier League with all the top sides losing including the Bluebell.

But really this is a game that the home side should have won because they had so much of the ball and created a host of good chances.

Montrose are still looking for safety points and defended pretty well in the early stages of the game but soon Dundonald were creating chances and Scott Lawrie twice, Ben Anthony twice and Calum Young twice, had chances to open their account.

Roselea did not really bother James Lennox in the home goal but Bluebell could not turn their superiority into goals.

The second period saw much the same story with Bluebell having all the possession and Montrose defending bravely.

Young should have scored when a move sliced open the visiting defence but with the ‘keeper stranded he shot over with the goal gaping.

Then with 20 minutes left Lawrie crossed to Anthony who headed home but an off-side flag halted the celebrations.

Montrose hit the Bluebell bar with a 35 yarder and as the clock ran down it seemed a goal would never come.

Then in time added on Montrose grabbed the all important goal which left home hopes deflated.

The result, allied to defeats for Jeanfield Swifts, Haddington Athletic and Lochee United leaves Bluebell four points clear of Haddington with four games in hand.

Bluebell boss Craig Morrison could not believe the result: “We had a hatful of chances and really should have turned the screw and won it.

“The way it turned out there was no damage done with the other leading sides losing but we will have to look to start converting some of our chances.”

Lochgelly Albert 4,

Stoneyburn 0.

THE Berts eventually got the result their superiority in this South Division game deserved but cfredit to the bottom side they never gave up.

Lochgelly were in charge from the start and had a lot of possession with really testing the visiting ‘keeper.

By the end of the first quarter Albert were starting to mount a series of raids and in one of them Scott Gibson hit a post.

Stoneyburn’s ‘keeper pulled off three or four good saves and at the break there were no goals.

The opening goal eventually came in 53 minutes. Conor Schiavone’s header was stopped on the line but Ryan Robertson followed up to score.

Berts were now taking charge and just before the hour mark Fraser Sutherland’s cross was met by Scott Gibson and his header stretched the lead.

The third came in 65 minutes when Schiavone made time for himself and sent a screaming ling range shot into the net.

Lochgelly were now piling forward and more goals had to come and with 14 minutes to came the fourth when John Ferguson’s shot was not held by the ‘keeper and Schiavone followed up to made it 4-0.

There were other chances for the Berts but the result stretched their unbeaten run to six games and they moved into sixth place and a top five finish must be on the Gardiner’s Park agenda.

Lochore Welfare 1,

Dundee North End 2.

WELFARE had real hard lines in this North Division fixture at Central Park.

Lochore started the game well against the third top side and took the lead in ten minutes when a Dean McMillan cross was handled by a North End defender and Lee Celentano converted the spot-kick.

Lochore continued to create openings and the North End ‘keeper had a couple of fine saves but as the interval approached the visitors got level.

A cross into the box struck James Davies’ hand and the booking he received saw the pivot red carded for his second yellow.

The penalty was converted and now Welfare were up against it.

However, after the break the gallant ten men kept tabs on North End who struggled to make many good chances and at the other end a Graeme Moore cross picked out Craig McGuire but the Dundee ‘keeper made a great save.

The ten men continued to defend well but in 87 minutes another penalty decision gave North End the chance to wrap up the points.

It was duly converted and all the brave efforts of Welfare went for nought and the result leaves them in the eighth spot.

Player/coach John Cusick felt that the result was not what his team deserved: “James Davies was a little unlucky to go off but the lads stuck to their task superbly.

“It looked like we were going to hold on until that third penalty incident of the match. We will just have to keep working away and look to win our closing six games.”

Wednesday’s game, McBookie.com East Premier League, Dundonald Bluebell v Kennoway Star Hearts (6.45pm).

Saturday, McBookie.com East Super League, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Tayport, St Andrews United v Kelty Hearts.

McBookie.com South Division, West Calder United v Lochgelly Albert. Mcbookie.com North Division, Lochee Harp v Lochore Welfare.

The Conservatory Convertors Fife and Lothians Cup, Bonnyrigg Rose v Dundonald Bluebell (all games 2.30).