KELTY Hearts made it 12 points out of 12 in the East Super League with a fine win over Sauchie on Saturday and it sets things up nicely for the keenly anticipated derby match with Hill of Beath Hawthorn at Keir’s Park this weekend.

Haws drew with Linlithgow Rose in West Lothian while elsewhere there was a good win for Lochgelly Albert and draws for Crossgates Primrose and Lochore Welfare, but defeats for Dundonald Bluebell and Ballingry Rovers.

Kelty Hearts 3, Sauchie Athletic 0.

SAUCHIE are always difficult to beat so Hearts boss Thomas Courts, was under no illusions as to the task that confronted his men, but they made a very positive start to the match at Central Park.

Indeed, they controlled much of the play and Roger Duffin hit the bar before Nelly McCabe came close while shots from Conrad Courts and Scott Lawrie were well saved by the Sauchie ‘keeper.

The visitors only had one real opening in the first-half when McCabe put in a timely challenge to block an effort as the interval approached.

Sauchie went in at the break happy to be level but that all changed in the 50th minute. Lawrie sent over a lovely cross and Brian Ritchie met it to head Kelty ahead.

The visitors were on the back foot now and within three minutes they were two down. The Sauchie defence was caught out by Stuart Cargill who went through and slotted the ball home.

Athletic were toiling now and they seldom posed Kyle Allison, in the Hearts goal, any problems and 20 minutes from the end the icing was put on the cake.

Cargill closed down a Sauchie defender who got into a fankle and he got his foot to the defence man’s clearance to deflect in number three to completed another good day for Kelty.

Kelty manager Thomas Courts said, "We played well against difficult opponents and were well worth the marging of victory.

"Now we face probably our toughest test yet in Saturday's derby."

Linlithgow Rose 2 Hill of Beath Hawthorn 2.

A GOOD Super League point for Haws but it could have been all three for the visitors had plenty of chances.

Yet Rose made a good start to the game and got a goal in 20 minutes but Hill of Beath were soon back in the picture and on the half-hour former Cowdenbeath youngster, Ben Anthony sent over a fine cross and Greg Smith’s 18 yard shot beat the ‘keeper.

Then there was drama when a home player stamped on young Lewis McKenzie and was red carded but the home side held out to the break.

The second-half saw Haws looked dangerous as they piled forward and Aaron Hay fed Calum Adamson and he put the visitors ahead.

Anthony twice saw the home ‘keeper make great saves but then there was a blow for Hill of Beath when defender Kevin Byle was red carded for what was adjudged by the referee as a head-butting incident.

Worse was to follow for Haws when Rikki Dair’s challenge on a Rose front man was ruled a foul and the home side levelled from the spot.

Haws regrouped and finished the game strongly and Hay went clean through near the end but fired wide.

Hill of Beath manager Jock Finlayson said, “I was happy to come away from Linlithgow with a point but when you look at the chances we had we could easily have left with all three points.

“Now we look forward to the big derby this weekend and it should be a really exciting game.” Ballingry Rovers 0 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic 3.

ROVERS really needed to get something from this game but Bonnyrigg took advantage of a crazy spell of defending by the home side just before half-time to earn their first Super League win.

The first half-hour was very even with Greg Meikle having the ball in the net for Ballingry but he was given off-side, then Barry Smith went close.

Bonnyrigg had a couple of half chances without really threatening and Lee Bryce then went close for Rovers, but in 31 minutes slack work by the home side saw Rose take the lead.

This gave Bonnyrigg a boost and as the home defence struggled the visitors struck twice more to go in at the break three up.

Rovers tried hard to get back into it but failed to hit the target which left manager Lee Dair very frustrated, “There was very little in the game but we defended badly in the closing minutes of the first-half and paid the penalty.” Dundonald Bluebell 0 Jeanfield Swifts 2.

BLUEBELL’s unbeaten East Premier League record went at Moorside as the Perthshire side produced a controlled performance.

Bluebell had plenty of the ball in the first-half and there were chances for Derek Wallace and Tommy Carr while Swifts carved out a couple of good openings without really looking like scoring.

The second period saw Bluebell continue to have a good share of possession but it was Swifts who got the beakthrough after 62 minutes when the ball was turned into the net after a good cross.

Bluebell were denied on several occasions by excellent goalkeeping from the Jeanfield ‘keeper then the home side were shocked when a poor piece of defending saw Swifts grab a second.

Still the home side pressed and the visiting last line pulled off a brilliant double save from Wallace and Carr to preserve their advantage and grab the points.

Stoneyburn 2 Lochgelly Albert 3.

THE Albert’s first South Division win but it was a deserved one and preserves their unbeaten record.

The home side were a lively lot but Lochgelly took the lead in the 20th minute through Brett McGuire and continued to look the better side.

However, shortly after Stoneyburn levelled the game and in a good spell for the side they went 2-1 up, a lead they held at the break.

Albert came out for the second period in determined mood and they were square after 50 minutes trough a Darren Seath strike and this gave them the momentum.

It was all about Lochgelly after this and Michael Perrie struck with ten minutes to go to clinch the points.

Crossgates Primrose 1 Harthill Royal 1.

AFTER their drubbing at Haddington this was a much better South Division performance from Crossgates.

A much improved Harthill posed the home side problems in the first-half but an own goal from an unfortunate Royal defender gave the Humbug men an interval lead.

The second period saw Primrose have chances to seal a win but a goal midway through the half gave Harthill a point.

After the numbing experience at Haddington this was a welcome improvement from Crossgates.

Luncarty 3 Lochore Welfare 3.

A GOOD point for Welfare against a side who are setting the pace in the North Division.

The home side opened on the attack and Lochore ‘keeper Harry Howieson did well to hold a firm header and this inspired Lochore to take the lead in 14 minutes when John Ford struck after some indifferent defending.

Lochore started to dominate possession and there were other openings for the visitors but they went in at the break happy to be ahead.

Four minutes into the second-half Greig Renton made it 2-0 when he created an opening down the right and fired an 18 yarder into the net.

Luncarty pulled one back in 66 minutes but within four minutes Welfare restored their two goal advantage when Craig McGuire netted.

The home side came roaring back into the picture though and a disputed penalty made it 3-2 with 12 minutes left and with Welfare skipper Penman being red carded for dissent, they had to see out the rest of the game with ten.

It set up an exciting finale and the home side maintained their unbeaten run by grabbing the equaliser with the last kick of the game.

Saturday’s fixtures: McBookie.com East Super League, Hill of Beath Hawthorn v Kelty Hearts, Lochee United v Ballingry Rovers. McBookie.com East Premier League, Broughty Athletic v Dundonald Bluebell. McBookie.com South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Dunbar United, Tranent v Crossgates Primrose. McBookie.com North Division, Lochore Welfare v Brechin Vics (all games 2.30).