Tynecastle 1, Kelty Hearts 3.

KELTY Hearts got their new adventure off to a great start with a win over Tynecastle in Edinburgh in the sectional stage of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup.

It was their first competitive game since leaving the juniors and they made a glorious opening to the game when Scott Dalziel rose to fire a fine header from a Murray Carstairs cross into the roof of the net in only 10 minutes.

Hearts had the Edinburgh side in all sorts of trouble and in 15 minutes it was 2-0 when Carstairs converted from close in after a good ball in to the near post.

Tynecastle threatened when in a good break Kelty ‘keeper Scott Christie had to advance from his line and mop up the danger and in 33 minutes the game was dead.

An angled Stephen Husband cross into the penalty area saw Dalziel glance the ball past the ‘keeper with the defence caught flat footed.

The second period saw Hearts continue to create openings and Dalziel should have completed his hat-trick when he blazed over from six yards but Kenny Adamson had to clear one off the line at the other end.

Tynecastle pulled one back when a midfielder cleverly held off two challenges and gave Christie no chance with a well placed 16 yarder but it made no difference to the result.

Player/boss Thomas Courts, who admits that while still a registered player, he is concentrating more on the managerial side this season, said: “It was a pleasing performance against a useful team who have been picking up some good results in their friendly games.

“We came out of the traps fast and scored two early goals and kept a firm grip of things, although Tynecastle did come back at us after the break.

“It was excellent to win our first competitive fixture in the senior ranks and this competition involves two more sectional games and hopefully we can qualify for the knock-out stages.”

He added: “The new players we brought in have settled well and things are developing how I had hoped.”

Hearts are at home to Stirling University II this Saturday in their Qualifying Cup Section with Eyemouth United the fourth side.