Ruthless Hearts in round five

While all that was going on at Central Park Lochgelly Albert and Crossgates Primrose were failing to win their South Division games and Lochore Welfare lost narrowly in the North Division.

Kelty Hearts 5,

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 0.

HEARTS had this Ethx Energy fourth round tie put to bed by the interval at a very foggy Central Park.

The Super League leaders were ruthless in the way that they punished some very ordinary defending by the Haws in the first period.

The visitors had opened the game reasonably solidly but they got careless midway through the half and were cruelly punished.

A superb crowd of 936 turned out for the match dubbed El Clasico by the Fife junior football fraternity but a drab January day brought with it periods of thickish fog which made spectating difficult.

The tie opened with both sides having some decent possession and Scott Dalziel threatened first for Hearts while at the other end Greg Smith had a decent effort before Calum Adamson had a shot well held by Kyle Marley in the Kelty goal.

Hearts took the lead in 15 minutes when Adamson was caught in possession by Stephen Husband and the midfielder wasted no time in flashing the ball past Stuart Hall after moving into the box.

Then four minutes later the midfielder added number two from close in with the Haws defence was caught watching.

It put Kelty in the driving seat and they started to dominate the ball and Hill of Beath were left struggling to get a foothold in the match.

For a spell they came back into things without really putting Marley under pressure but in 35 minutes they were facing a mountain to climb.

From a corner the visiting marking was caught out by Murray Carstairs and his header flew high into the net then minutes later there was a re-run. From another corner Sean O’Neil got on the end of it and his header flew past Hall to make the break score 4-0.

The fog was reluctant to move away but the home fans didn’t mind with their team firmly in the driving seat.

Hill of Beath kept working away and Smith got in an effort which posed Marley a problem but at the other end Stuart Cargill came close for Kelty nd then Craig Thomson’s free kick hit a post.

The impetus had lessened from the game but Hearts looked likelier to score but when another goal came it was a strange one.

Archie Campbell cut in from the right and his cross flew into the net at the far post, which about completed Haws’ disappointing day.

Hearts player/boss Thomas Courts had been wary of the how such a big game could pan out but he was delighted with the with his team’s performance: “Haws started the game pretty well but the double from Stephen Husband gave us a good base to work on and to get the goals from Murray Carstairs and Sean O’Neil before the break was all we could have asked for before the match.

“To reach the fifth round of the Scottish Cup is excellent and leaves us fighting on four fronts which is a really exciting prospect.

“It is back to league business on Saturday with Lochee United visiting us and while it will not have the atmosphere of the cup-tie it is a match we dearly want to win to maintain our lead in the Super League.”

Haws boss Bobby Wilson admitted that his team had been killed off by making key errors which had allowed the home team to show their ruthless style of punishing teams: “Kelty fully deserved their convincing win.

“We opened the game reasonably well but the first two goals should have been avoided and then to lose two to set pieces was not at all good from our point of view.”

Oakley United 4,

Lochgelly Albert 2.

A VERY poor overall performance by the Berts in this South Division derby clash after an opening spell which could have seen them four up.

Lochgelly started the game very well and took the lead in seven minutes through a fine Scott Gibson finish.

The Berts, however, showed the careless side of their game when some poor defending allowed Oakley to square things shortly after.

Lochgelly dominated possession and Lewis Elder hit a post with a sharp finish then the striker got clean through but did not finish well.

Murray was next to have a go and his header brought out a good save from the Oakley ‘keeper before Martin Rennie’s effort was cleared off the line.

But as luck would have it Oakley went up the park and grabbed an interval lead to leave the visitors wondering how they were behind.

However, in 49 minutes the Albert were level when Elder was hauled down in the box and after the defender was red carded the striker converted the spot-kick.

The Berts took over for a spell and Craig Paterson saw his shot finger tipped on to the bar by the United ‘keeper but again the visitors were caught out defensively when Oakley grabbed the lead for a second time.

Lochgelly kept pressing but in the last minute a United attacker got clear and when he was hauled down by Fraser Sutherland in the box the Berts defender was red carded and the penalty converted to tie up the points for the home side and complete a bad day for the Albert.

The result leaves them adrift of the two now and their promotion push is in danger of running out of steam.

Crossgates Primrose 1,

Rosyth Recreation 1.

CROSSGATES Primrose missed a golden chance to put pressure on the middle range of clubs in the South Division with this draw at Humbug Park.

Primrose opened the game well and created several good openings but the Recs’ ‘keeper was in good form.

Rosyth did not really pose too many problems for Crossgates and in 24 minutes the hosts tookm the lead when Stuart Prattis slotted the ball home.

The home team went for another but just could not hit the target and they were punished for that three minutes from the break when Rosyth squared things.

The second period saw Primrose continue to search for the second goal but a combination of poor finishing and good goalkeeping kept them out.

At the other end Rosyth had a couple of sporadic chances but nothing to really worry Primrose and it was two points dropped.

Lochore Welfare 1,

Lochee Harp 2.

THE Welfare really should have taken something from this North Division game.

They were in the game all the way through but just could not get the key second goal which could have made such a difference.

Harp and Welfare created chances during the early stages of the game but could not break through but it was the visitors who took the lead.

Try as they might Lochore just could not get level until with a minute to go Sean Glerkin squared things and looked like giving his team a point.

But in time added on Harp broke up field and grabbed an un deserved winner.

Tranent 1,

Dundonald Bluebell 1.

(Tranent wins 5-4 on pens)

PREMIER Division Tranent sent Super Leaguers Dundonald Bluebell out of the D J Laing East of Scotland Cup in East Lothian.

The home side have been investing a lot of money in their side and Bluebell knew it would be a hard game.

Defences dominated in the early stages but Bluebell almost went ahead when a Tranent defender struck his own post.

Soon after the Moorsiders took the lead when Calum Young fought off a defender and fired a fine shot past the 'keeper.

Tranent threatened and James Lennox saved well before a controversial moment arrived. When the ball was played into the Bluebell box two home attackers appeared to collide but the whistler saw it as a defender that caused the situation and amid protests pointed to the spot and the award was converted.

In the second period Dundonald had long spells in command and when Greig Meikle set up Young his shot was just too high then Meikle hit the woodwork.

In the closing seconds Lewis McKenzie shot over from a very good position.

So it was on to penalties and Tranent ran out 5-4 winners.

Saturday’s fixture: McBookie.com East Super League, Kelty Hearts v Lochee United, Carnoustie Panmure v Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Dundonald Bluebell v Linlithgow Rose.

McBookie.com South Division, Pumpherston v Lochgelly Albert, Craigroyston v Crossgates Primrose. McBookie.com North Division, Kinnoull v Lochore Welfare (all games 1.45).