Vital win in battle for Super League title

Linlithgow Rose posed a real threat to their hopes, but Hearts edged the visitors out to take the points, while Dundonald Bluebell disappointed at Arniston; and Lochgelly Albert drew again, although Lochore Welfare bounced back from their trouncing of the previous week by beating Dunbar United.

Kelty Hearts 1, Linlithgow 0.

A VERY tense Super League battle with defences in charge for the most part but Hearts got the key goal to add three invaluable points to increase their lead at the top to 13 points with three more games played.

Rose, who were 11 points behind Kelty before kick-off with four games in hand, clearly saw this as a big chance to kick-start their challenge but really they did not create a lot of good chances.

In the early stages Kelty kept Rose in check and at the other end Stuart Cargill got through but dragged his shot just wide and Paul Currie also went close.

The second period saw Hearts continue to have the better of things but the Rose rearguard repelled several strong raids. Cargill tested the Linlithgow ‘keeper but it looked as if a goal would not come. Then, in a good Kelty move, the ball broke to Currie and from close in he forced the ball past the ‘keeper to the delight of the huge home support.

Rose tried hard to recover but the Hearts defence was superb and Scott Dalziel almost got number two when he worked his way into the box, but as he pulled the trigger the ball bobbled and the ‘keeper saved. However, the result ensured that it was another important step taken on the road to the title.

Kelty player/manager, Thomas Courts, was delighted with the performance of his side, “It was a big, big result.

“We knew that there would be nothing between the teams but we defended very solidly and what good chances there were in the game came for us.

“Our target has to be to win as many of our remaining games as possible starting with this weekend’s home match with Broxburn who are a well organised team who will pose us plenty of problems.” Arniston 2, Dundonald 0.

THIS was an East Premier League game which got away from Bluebell, who were in complete control for the first hour.

Tommy Carr was first to threaten but the home ‘keeper saved well and then Lewis Elder headed over Lyle Shaw’s cross. Shaw himself might have scored but he was denied by the ‘keeper.

At the other James Lennox produced two good saves but it was Dundonald who were making all the running and Lee Duffy brought out a fine save from the home last line.

No goals at the break but Bluebell started the second-half well and Derek Wallace fired over from close in and then Murray Carstairs saw his header come back off the bar.

But suddenly things started to change. Some slackness by Bluebell let Arniston in to take the lead, albeit the finish was clinical, but still Dundonald saw Shaw’s shot cleared off the line.

However, the second goal came when Carstairs nudged a forward in the box, and while it was a pretty soft award, it was tucked away and that was pretty much that.

Bluebell general manager, Allan Halliday, felt that Dundonald simply paid for missing too many good chances, “We really should have been well ahead at the break but when they grabbed the lead we were unable to get back into it which was a big disappointment.” Allan also reported that head coach Archie Wyse had decided to call it a day.

Lochgelly 3, Blackburn Un. 3.

ALBERT are the draw specialists of the South Division with this being their eighth share of the campaign to date.

The game was a very close affair and in the opening stages both sides created half chances but a goal did not come until the 34th minute when Blackburn took the lead, and then shortly afterwards they doubled their advantage.

Berts needed a goal before the break and it came in 42 minutes from Andy Barratt, who headed home Michael Perrie’s free-kick.

Five minutes into the second period Lochgelly were level when Connor Schiavone sent over a pin-point cross which Thomas Hush got to first and headed strongly past the ‘keeper.

Berts were in charge now and they went for a third and it came with 16 minutes left when Barratt was at it again, latching on to Perrie’s corner to send another header into the Blackburn net.

But Lochgelly were caught napping shortly after when a low cross was deflected past Lee Wilson to square the game.

Harthill Royal 3, Crossgates Primrose 0.

A TERRIBLE result for Primrose who went to Harthill with hopes of beating their fellow strugglers in the South Division.

The game was even enough at the start and Primrose had a couple of good efforts but Royal were probing strongly and when they got their noses in front things started to go wrong for Crossgates.

There were a couple of decent openings for Primrose but they could not convert then and Harthill saw the chance to get a rare win.

When they grabbed number two the writing was on the wall for Crossgates and a third goal left them rooted to the foot of the table.

Lochore Welf. 4, Dunbar 3.

A BRILLIANT fight-back from Welfare which consigned the seven goal thrashing from Kennoway, of the previous week, to the history books.

This D J Laing East of Scotland Cup-tie saw strong going South Division side Dunbar have some decent openings in the first period but Lochore defended well.

However, in the 20th minute the visitors grabbed the lead and then in 40 minutes they scored a second. Welfare needed to get one back quickly and shortly before the break Graeme Moore slotted home their opener.

However, five minutes after the interval Dunbar scored a third, from a suspiciously off-side position, but Lochore rolled their sleeves up and on the hour Scott Renton reduced the deficit with a stunning 25 yard drive.

As Welfare moved into top gear Brian Donnelly ran clean through and beat the ‘keeper to square the match before manager Lee Dair threw himself on in a bid to get the winner.

Lochore won a free-kick on the edge of the box and Dair took it himself and curled a lovely shot past the ‘keeper.

Dunbar lost their discipline and had two players sent-off which ensured that there was no way back for them.

Lee Dair was delighted with the way his team tackled what was a tough fixture, “The lads could not have responded better to last week’s bad result.

“Dunbar are a good side but the heads never went down, even when we went two down, and the second-half performance was excellent, a really great way to bounce back from a bad defeat.” Saturday’s fixtures, McBookie.com East Super League, Kelty Hearts v Broxburn Athletic, Lochee United v Hill of Beath Hawthorn. McBookie.com East Premier League, Dundonald Bluebell v Glenrothes. McBookie.com South Division, Lochgelly Albert v Harthill Royal, Blackburn United v Crossgates Primrose.

McBookie.com North Division, Lochore Welfare v Luncarty (all games 2.30pm).