Hearts stretch lead to 20 points

With Bonnyrigg Rose on Scottish Junior Cup duty Hearts were clear winners over Lochee United to stretch their unbeaten run to 19 matches, while elsewhere Hill of Beath Hawthorn lost at Carnoustie and Dundonald Bluebell drew with Linlithgow Rose.

Kelty Hearts 4,

Lochee United 1.

STUFFY Lochee United were completely outplayed at Central Park and this Super League tussle was over by the interval.

Kelty started the game very well, with Jordan Moore in the attack, and they created a couple of good early chances.

Lochee did little to worry the Hearts rearguard but after 20 minutes the scoreline was still blank and fans were hoping it was not going to be ‘one of those days.’

Then in 25 minutes the breakthrough came when Moore was perfectly placed to slam home the opener and it set Kelty on a dominating spell where Lochee had to work really hard to stay in the picture.

It looked like they might get to the break only a goal down, then with five minutes to go until the break Murray Carstairs converted from a corner with a powerful header to double the lead.

But there was more to come and on the interval whistle Brian Ritchie finished well from a set piece to make the break score 3-0.

To Lochee’s credit they started the second-half well and pulled one back on the hour when the ball struck Conrad Courts on the hand and the penalty was converted but soon it was back to the usual service and the United ‘keeper pulled off a couple of good saves.

Then with ten minutes left Archie Campbell added number four to put the icing on the cake.

Kelty now have 53 points from 19 games and while Bonnyrigg have five games in hand there is no margin for error for them.

Hearts player/boss Thomas Courts was delighted with the way his team tackled a potentially tricky match: “Lochee came to us on the back of a good result at Boness and can be hard to break down, but Jordan Moore scored midway through the first period and that put us in charge.

“The two goals just before half-time were important and over the piece it was a good performance.

“We have another key game this Saturday at Newtongrange, for with Bonnyrigg involved in a Scottish Junior Cup replay this is another chance to stretch our advantage over them”.

Carnoustie Panmure 2,

Hill of Beath Hawthorn 0.

HAWS never really got going in this Super League game on Tayside.

Hill of Beath conceded two goals in the first quarter of the game and it proved too much for them to get back in it although there were two good early efforts from Greg Smith and Lee Reid which were cleared off the line.

Carnoustie have rallied after a poor start to the season and they came back after these early scares to take the lead.

In 11 minutes a good run by a Panmure attacker saw Stuart Hall make a brave save, but before anyone could clear the loose ball, it was poked in to the net from close in.

Then things got worse for the visitors in 22 minutes when the ball was dragged across the face of the Haws’ box and a curling 20 yard shot flew high in to the net to double Carnoustie’s lead.

The visitors eventually started to create some danger but the home rearguard dealt with everything Haws could muster.

Haws tried to use the pace of Calum Adamson to break through the Panmure iron curtain and he did create one or two openings without a goal coming.

Then midway through the half Panmure were awarded a penalty after an incident in the Haws box but Hall came to the rescue, although it did not inspire a fightback.

So Haws lie on 20 points from 18 games in 12th spot and manager Bobby Wilson was disappointed at going two down so early in the game: “These two goals were poor to lose and really we should have dealt with the situations better.

“We just did not pose them enough problems over the 90 minutes. Maybe it was a bit of a hangover from the Kelty cup tie.”

Dundonald Bluebell 1,

Linlithgow Rose 1.

A TIGHT battle at Moorside but another very useful East Super League point for Bluebell.

Rose have been having an ordinary season by their high standards, but in the opening phase of the game they attacked strongly and James Lennox in the Dundonald goal did well to defy their early efforts.

However, Bluebell were soon on the attack and a couple of dangerous crosses could have produced goals with David Sibanda going close.

The game was goalless at the break and as the second period got underway the weather worsened with snow falling.

But the teams kept at it and Linlithgow had a couple of good raids which did not bring a goal while Bluebell’s Lewis McKenzie went close twice.

Then came the breakthrough when, after Bluebell had given the ball away a run in to the home side’s box saw a heavy tackle penalised and Linlithgow converting the penalty to go ahead.

Then Rose were awarded another penalty after another hard tackle, but this time Lennox pulled off a fine double save.

And the ‘keeper was rewarded when Bluebell went down the other end and when the ball was not properly cleared by Linlithgow McKenzie hooked a 16 yarder past the ‘keeper with six minutes left.

In the closing minutes Bluebell saw a shot just bend past but at the other end a brilliant acrobatic save from Lennox kept the visitors out.

The result moves Dundonald on to 25 points from 20 games and puts them in fifth top spot.

Boss Stevie Kay was delighted with the effort his team put in to the match: “The conditions were awful with the sleety snow coming down for most of the match but we matched them all the way.

“James Lennox did brilliantly at a couple of important moments but we did have opportunities to take all three points although a draw was probably a fair result.”

Craigroyston 3,

Crossgates Primrose 1.

A VERY disappointing result for Primrose who fancied their chances of a South Division win before kick-off.

Primrose started the game very flatly and were too often on the defensive in the early minutes against a team who have been struggling all season.

Craigroyston tried to push forward and in nine minutes the Crossgates defence got in a fankle and 'Royston went ahead.

The goal took the wind out of the Crossgates sails and there were other chances for Craigroyston and in 22 minutes the visiting defence was caught out again.

Primrose had a couple of chances to pull one back before the break but could not get the goal they needed and things got worse less than ten minutes in to the second-half when Craigrosyton got number three.

Primrose were struggling in the damp conditions but they started to come more in to the game and in 67 minutes a fine finish by Scott Devaney reduced the deficit.

They went health for leather for another to set up a grandstand finish but good defending by the home team denied them.

The result leaves Primrose in 12th place in the table and they are needing some wins to move back up the rankings.

The Pumpherston v Lochgelly Albert and Kinnoull v Lochore Welfare games were postponed.

Saturday’s fixtures: McBookie.com East Super League, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Linlithgow Rose, Newtongrange Star v Kelty Hearts, Jeanfield Swifts v Dundonal Bluebell.

McBookie.com South Division, Crossgates Primrose v Edinburgh United, Lochgelly Albert v Edinburgh United. McBookie.com North Division, Lochore Welfare v Forfar Albion (all games 2pm).